Andy Robertson didn't sugarcoat it. When Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came off at half-time during his first Old Firm derby at Ibrox and told his former Liverpool teammate the game wasn't pretty, Robertson's response was simple: "It's not football. It's a war and you find a way to win."
The Ox has now played in back-to-back Glasgow derbies at Ibrox, and speaking on the In The Mixer podcast, he made clear that nothing in his career — Liverpool, Arsenal, Turkey — quite prepared him for it. "I can't explain exactly why, it's just different," he said. "We've had a few scraps with them, but there wasn't much soccer from us."
Gladiators in the tunnel
It's not just the ninety minutes either. Oxlade-Chamberlain described the atmosphere as extending well beyond the pitch — into the tunnel, among the staff, through the stands. "Even off the pitch, in the tunnel, the rivalry between staff and players — you're either Rangers or Celtic and that's it. There's no sitting on the fence up there."
When asked if it reminded him of Gladiators, he didn't hesitate. "Literally it is."
That kind of raw, unfiltered reaction from an experienced player who has won the Premier League and the Champions League carries weight. This isn't someone easily impressed by atmospheres.
The bigger picture for Celtic
Oxlade-Chamberlain has settled quickly at Celtic Park. A debut winner in the closing seconds against Livingston set the tone. But the period since has been bumpier — a 2-0 defeat away at Tannadice to Dundee United before the international break left a dent in Celtic's title challenge. Chasing a 14th championship in 15 seasons, dropped points against sides like Dundee United are the ones that come back to haunt you in May.
The Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on 8 March ended in Celtic's favour, and how Celtic handle the psychological edge from that win — combined with keeping players like Oxlade-Chamberlain fit and integrated — will shape whether this season delivers the title or just the memories.
Robertson's advice still stands as the most honest summary of the Old Firm anyone's offered in years. It's a war. Celtic won the last one.
