Callum McGregor believes Sunday’s derby at Ibrox is the perfect fixture to banish the lingering pain of Celtic’s Champions League collapse.

He captained the team and played the full 120 minutes in Asia midweek, taking and scoring his penalty.

After a gruelling match with extra and a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Kairat Almaty, the Celtic captain led the squad on a 10-hour, 3,500-mile return journey from Kazakhstan.

They landed delayed in Glasgow just after 10 on Wednesday morning.

But instead of wallowing in disappointment, McGregor is determined to rally the team and bounce back in the first Glasgow Derby of the season.

Speaking to Record Sport, he said;

“It’s probably the best game to have next, to be honest. You probably couldn’t pick a better game.

“The games just get bigger and bigger at Celtic and this group understands that.

“As soon as you go out of competitions like the Champions League it hurts the team.

“But the only way you can answer that is by bouncing back in the next game.

“It’s just important that everyone in the changing room sticks together because only us who can fix it. And we need to fix it.

“It was a disappointing night for us in Kazakhstan but we have an opportunity now to exercise some of the demons from that defeat.

“Of course, we all wanted to be playing in the Champions League and we’re all very disappointed that it’s not happening.

“But we still have the Europa League and still have a good season.”

Celtic head into a high-stakes derby needing a response and McGregor knows it starts with character, unity, and a big performance.

There could be some new faces involved with the squad at Ibrox, too.

Michel Ange-Balikwisha and Marcelo Saracchi are on the verge of joining the Hoops, having both completed their medicals on Wednesday. If the relevant paperwork and international clearance can get over the line in time, you’d expect at least the winger to make the bench.

The Belgian has played four games this season, scoring once, so he should be match-sharp.