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Sports

Celtic taking positives from Atletico defeat

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Glasgow, Scotland – As expected, Celtic and Rangers have once again stormed to the top of the Scottish Premier League through six games, and the two sides are preparing for the first Old Firm contest of the season on Sunday at Ibrox.

But while Rangers will have a full week between its last match and Sunday's showdown, Celtic enters the contest coming off of a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Thursday in Europa League play.

Despite the defeat, Hoops boss Neil Lennon believes that his team can take the positives from the match into Sunday's game, and that a similar performance has the chance to yield a better result.

"I'm not happy about losing the game but there are positives for us to take out of the game," Lennon said following Thursday's match.

"I'm hoping the players take something from their performance in Madrid. The game at Ibrox is one they're relishing, and I'm looking for a similar kind of performance."

Rangers has claimed 16 of a possible 18 points from six games this season, but has been particularly strong in defense, yielding just one goal in league play.

Romanian defender Dorin Goian has played a big part in the success of the defense, and he is relishing the chance to take part in his first Old Firm match.

"I have been thinking all week about this game," Goian said. "It will be my first derby in Scotland and I'm very curious about how it will be. I'm sure it will be a difficult game for us because Celtic are a good team."

The Hoops enter the contest one point back of Rangers, but the team won two of the four matches between the sides last season with one draw.

Saturday's slate of games is highlighted by Motherwell's home contest with St Johnstone as Motherwell attempts to bounce back from a 4-0 defeat to Celtic.

Hibernian owns one win in six SPL contests and visits Dunfermline, Aberdeen has won just one of seven games in the league and hosts Kilmarnock, Dundee United entertains Inverness and Hearts tangles with St Mirren as both teams enter the match with nine points.