Everything Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart said to the media ahead of Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers...

Just put into context the magnitude of this game...

Yeah, it's an important game but it is what it is at the moment. Every game's huge with a lot of implications in all the matches that we're taking part in. So Sunday is no different.

There are people now beginning to talk of the treble. You've got the League Cup, you're going well in the league, what do you see in the dressing room? Is that something you have to put to the back of your mind?

We're just trying to win each game as we go. That's been the process from the moment we got here. With the manager coming to the club, that's been the message. I think the manager has made the point of we don't - please bear with me what I'm saying - it's not to win the game it's to stamp on our football on the match with our intensity and the kind of energy we want to bring to the football field - we feel that that's enough to put us in a good place.

Do you think you'll have an advantage given the fact that Rangers went to extra time (against Braga in the Europa League) and you guys had a whole week to prepare?

Well, not really, because we've been we've done Sunday-Thursday and we've always felt good going into either of those games. They're professional athletes. They're built to play twice a week just like we are so I'm sure there'll be as prepared as they need to be.

I know the saying is that you just take it one game at a time but if you do win five of your next matches you'll win the treble - is that is that what you thought could happen when you signed for this club, was that pitch to you when you signed at the start of the season?

No, that wasn't pitched to me. It was 'come and bring what you can to the football club'. Something like that (was) the conversation with the manager that I had. I felt like he believed that I had something that I could bring to the table. That was all he asked to be honest.

You've played in massive games and won cup finals before. How do you think this atmosphere will compare? You've obviously played at Hampden already this season but the fact that it is a derby atmosphere at Hampden - will that be one of the best you think you might have played him?

Look, we'll see. Obviously I don't know yet. I've not experienced it but I've experienced some pretty special atmospheres up here so far. And the Celtic-Rangers games (have) been everything that everyone hyped and more so to have a 50-50 split in terms of supporters at a great venue like Hampden is something that I'm really excited to take part in. But, at the end of the day, it's about what we do on the pitch.

What is it like to play in and how has it exceeded your expectations?

I don't really have many expectations in football. I quite like to live in the moment. But obviously it's a world-renowned fixture. I don't think there's any question about that. It's certainly something that I would have looked at when I had nothing to do with with the Scottish Premier League (Premiership) or nothing to do with Celtic. It was certainly one that inside of football it's talked about. It's a bucket-list fixture. But it's a different scenario when you're so involved in terms of playing and obviously having a strong connection with the club that you're representing. So, yeah, they are special. People that have been in my kind of close circle who have watched me play all over the world have really enjoyed coming in and being a part of it with me. But, at the end of the day, if you want to play in these sorts of fixtures you need to have the mindset that it's just another game and you know it's another moment and another opportunity to play well and do some good for the club that you represent

Is that calmness something that's grown throughout the season as the squad gets used to the style of play and each other?

Yeah, we've had to put a lot of trust in each other and in the manager but we've had a real strong message throughout, even from the remaining staff that were here before Ange came. They had a big responsibility as well. I think they've done a great job. We're all on the same page at the moment but football can change quickly so you can't take that for granted. You can't just presume that we're gonna all of a sudden find this way of playing and it's gonna work. It's down to hard work. It's down to energy. It's down to the whole squad. Everyone at this training ground and the fans buying into it.

How much do the two previous performances against Rangers come into it on the day for this game?

They don't really, do they? Personnel has changed since then. Football just changes quickly. It's obviously great that we're off the back of two wins but it'd be easy for us to say previous to the first one 'we'd lost the game previous to that'. We didn't let that affect us so we can't let it affect us that that we won the previous game. It's just gonna be a fresh game against a team that's in-form, that's going to have a strong backing just like we are. It's about us imposing ourselves as best we can on the game.

The 50-50 split - is that something that the players are talking about and looking forward to?

It just is what it is. We deal with it if it's 700 or if it's 25,000 or if it's none or the whole stadium. It'll be great and there'll probably be some great scenes and you'll probably really feel it when your team's doing well and that 50 per cent really gets behind you. But it's about the boys playing the game of football, putting the right energy into it and imposing the tactics that we've built throughout the year.

We now seem to have a settled back four - how important is that for you with the style Ange Postecoglou plays?

I think there's huge respect in this squad for all of us. And that's in every position, we  had to buy into the fact that we were strong in depth. And we've all got to be prepared at all times. Just like you know, Bainy (Scott Bain) is, just like Barky (Vasilis Barkas) is, just like Tobi (Oluwayemi) is. Everyone's prepared. You're only borrowing the shirt, no one's got it nailed to their back. You're only borrowing it in the fact that you've got to perform and take opportunities when they come your way. Sometimes stuff happens - people are ill, injuries - and we can't let that affect us. So if I'm not playing if you know Callum's not playing, if Cameron (Carter-Vickers) or Carl (Starfelt) or if any of us is not playing that can't affect this team and we all have bought into that. So, yes,  it's been able to be a bit more of an unchanged team in terms of the back but we're prepared for any of us to play at any moment.

Enjoy you got your game face on today. It must be brilliant to play in these types of games...

Yeah, you're right. I'm not the kind of guy to hide my emotion. Right now I am focused, my game face is on because there's a huge task at hand and we've got to be really on it to perform on Sunday. But there are moments - and I've done it in years before when the demands have been big - you've got to enjoy good times. You've got to enjoy good moments. And then you've also got to move on just like you've got to deal with tough moments. You've got a certain window to smile, a certain window to reflect. Then you're straight back to it again. And that's what this club demands and that's how I like to work.

The game could go to penalties on Sunday. Is that something that you've been doing extra preparation for in training this week?

We're gonna cover all bases at all times and if that's one of the eventualities of the game, then we cover it. Just like we did when we played Raith Rovers, we're going to recover it when we play the semi-final. That's cup football and there's no secret so we'll prepare as much as we can, but we're obviously going to look to get the job done as soon as possible.

Is it still, for the players, only keep it 'one game at a time and don't even think about next week'?

Yeah, 100 per cent. We're not trying to cover our backs. We're not trying to give ourselves breathing room or spin a line. That is exactly how we're working in this building. You can't afford to not work like that. We've got good quality running against us. You can't take your eye off the ball.