Erik Sviatchenko is currently on loan at FC Midtjylland and has been chatting to Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten about Celtic, his aims for the future, and a special goal against Rangers.
In April 2016, Rangers faced Celtic at Hampden Park in the semi-final of the SFA Cup. Kenny Miller opened the scoring before Sviatchenko equalised, Barrie McKay then scored another, set up by James Tavernier, before Tom Rogic made it 2-2.
Rangers won the match on penalties, but Sviatchenko still cherishes his goal: “A fantastic powerful jump and header, which made the score 1-1. Having played a match that can speak as one of the 10 biggest in the world, I take it as a merit, I can always tell my children.”
Eventually edged out of Celtic, albeit on loan initially, by Brendan Rodgers, the defender insists he has no problem with the club’s manager: “We have not gone apart as enemies. He called me a few days ago to speak to me. I’d say he has a personality that you can only respect.”
Sviatchenko makes it sound like a Celtic return is very unlikely, but he clearly appreciates his time there, and not just the Rangers goal: “I have won championships and I have developed as a footballer. I love the club and have really had a good relationship with the fans, the football culture and the life around the city.
“You become proud. It’s a feeling of having done it. Having played for the world’s best fans, I’ll take that wherever I go.”
