What we must do to beat Celtic to title next season – Rangers’ Leon Balogun

Super Eagles and Rangers central defender, Leon Aderemi Balogun, has highlighted what Rangers must do to end Celtic dominance in the SPFL, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 35-year-old rejoined the Gers on a free transfer from Queens Park Rangers last summer but struggled to get into the team. He spent most of his time on the bench before a purple patch towards the end of the season saw him get rewarded with a new contract, extending his stay at the club for another year.

Rangers were on course for a domestic double but a dip in momentum saw their rivals -Celtic, lift both titles, leaving a sour aftertaste on the tongue of the players and fans likewise.

Balogun, who’s now one of the older players in the team, revealed the team should do better in handling pressure next season if they’re to stand a chance against Celtic.

“Probably that’s the most vital part to look at. We did give them a good race in the end, there was a title race and I think it’s fair to say that both teams weren’t at their best throughout the whole season which probably made it that tight at the end, but again, they had that edge over us and that’s what we need to focus on specifically. It might be pressure, mentality, or confidence but whatever it is we have to make sure we get this out of the system in pre-season. The earlier the better and then off to a good start,” the former Mainz 05 defender said in quotes revealed by Football Scotland.

In five meetings against Celtic in the just-concluded season, Rangers failed to win one of the Old Firm derby games, including a pivotal one in the Scottish Cup final, and that’s not a good feat for a team that wants to win titles.

“If you want to be the champion, you have to beat your rival. It was a race between us two and there was a stumble. We have to make sure there’s not another one this season,” the former Brighton and Hove Albion defender added.

Balogun last played for the Super Eagles in their AFCON qualifier against Sao Tome and Principe in 2022.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience.

He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.