Rangers derby day hero Yousef Chermiti admitted scoring twice in an Old Firm derby was a moment he will “always remember”, after playing a decisive role in Rangers 3-1 comeback victory over Celtic at Parkhead.
Speaking after the final whistle, the striker was visibly composed rather than euphoric - a reflection of both the significance of the occasion and his growing confidence inside a Rangers side building momentum.
“Of course it’s a very good feeling,” Chermiti said.
“I’m feeling very good now.
“Three points - and of course to score a double in the derby is always good.”
The goals marked a major moment in Chermiti’s Rangers career, arriving after a difficult start marked by intermittent game time, missed chances and fan scrutiny.
Rather than framing the performance as vindication, however, the forward focused on hunger and progression.
“Since I play football, I’m always hungry,” he said.
“I always want to get more goals.
“My target is always forward. I always look forward.”
That mentality has been tested in recent months, with Chermiti acknowledging the pressure that comes with playing for a club of Rangers stature and embracing it rather than resisting it.
“Playing for Rangers is pressure,” he said.
“But big players play for big clubs, so I love that.
“I don’t really take that personally and I think that’s normal for a big club.”
That attitude has not gone unnoticed. Also speaking post-match, Danny Röhl stressed that Chermiti’s breakthrough was built on work done quietly behind the scenes.
“It starts in the last couple of weeks,” Röhl said. “He worked for the group, he’s smart.”
Röhl highlighted the striker’s physicality and intelligence, particularly his ability to impose himself in decisive moments.
“You saw today he is also, with his body, very aggressive,” Röhl added. “He can keep the ball, he can carry the ball.”
Chermiti was also candid about his own physical journey, explaining that his recent upturn in form is tied to fitness, confidence and continuity.
“I’m getting more confident,” he said.
“I’m getting more involved in the team.
“Everyone is helping me - my teammates, the club.
“I’ve not been playing for two years, so now I’m getting fit. I think I can give more like today.”
The striker stressed that confidence is the key currency in football - not just for him, but across the squad.
“If one player gets confident, you can play whatever you want,” he said.
Röhl, however, was keen to temper expectations, stressing consistency over flashes.
“Sometimes for a forward you need this momentum,” he said.
“But now we speak about two games. Two games over the season is not so much. Now it’s about consistency.”
A significant part of that confidence, Chermiti revealed, has come from the support of Rangers head coach Röhl – who replaced the man who signed him, Russell Martin, after the former Southampton boss was dismissed in October.
“He’s been very good for me,” Chermiti said.
“He tries to protect me every time and he helps me every day, corrects me, teaches me a lot of stuff.”
The reception Chermiti received from the Rangers support as he left the pitch was another notable moment and one he viewed with perspective rather than entitlement.
“Sometimes fans give you hate, sometimes they give you love,” he said.
“That’s football. I understand that and I love that.”
Finally, when asked about Rangers title ambitions, Chermiti did not hesitate.
“The quality of the team,” he said.
“I know what we can do. If we keep going like this, we’re going to think about the title, of course.”
For a player finding rhythm, confidence and belief at the same time as his team, it was a statement that felt earned rather than rushed and a day that really introduced him as a Rangers player – and a hero of the Ibrox support.