Celtic new boy Luis Palma claims that he rebuffed Rangers interest to sign for the Parkhead club.
The Honduras winger signed a five-year deal with the Scottish champions this week from Greek club Aris and could make his debut in the Old Firm game at Ibrox on Sunday.
Speaking through an interpreter at Celtic Park, after the Champions League draw saw the Hoops put in the same group as Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid and Lazio, the 23-year-old said: “My agent told me that there was contact from Rangers but when I knew of Celtic’s interest, I wanted to come here and I am happy to be here.
“If I am chosen (for Sunday) I am prepared. It is a great match and I want to participate in it. From what I have heard they are very exciting and close run matches.
“It is a derby and like all derbies you have to win and that is the most important thing.”
Meanwhile, another of the Hoops’ summer signings, defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, recalled Celtic’s famous 2-1 victory over Barcelona at Parkhead in 2012 and is looking to make “more memories” this season.
Speaking about the Champions League draw, the 23-year-old Sweden international, who signed from IF Elfsborg, said: “The main experience will be playing here at Paradise on European nights.
“I have seen some clips on YouTube and the noise gets really loud.
“I remember Celtic playing Barcelona here and winning 2-1, that is my main memory.
“I was young and I remember Celtic not having a lot of possession but still managing to get a great result so hopefully we can create new memories this year.
“With the fans at our back, the atmosphere that can be created here we have a higher chance of winning and hopefully we can use that that to our advantage and get some points here.
“We will go into every game aiming to win, no matter the opponent. I am looking forward to the challenge.”
Lagerbielke, who has yet to experience victory after a ViaPlay Cup defeat to Kilmarnock and a cinch Premiership draw against St Johnstone, could make his Old Firm debut at Ibrox.
He said: “Celtic is a great club with great expectations.
“It is disappointing when we don’t win. The last two results haven’t been great but we look forward to the game on Sunday.
” I have played a few derbies in my career and in those games you forget what happened before.
“It is just 100 percent focus on that game.”
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
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