Celtic first-team coach Danny McGrain has warned the Dons what his team has, it holds after Derek McInnes’ side were drawn against the side everyone wanted to avoid in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
The double winners away will be a formidable challenge for Aberdeen and former defender McGrain offered little hope of a Red win in Glasgow.
The former Celtic captain said: “It’s a home draw, that’s the main thing. Aberdeen came a couple of weeks back and that was a tough game.
“But we have played very well in the Scottish Cup and we want to keep that going at Celtic Park.
“No matter what we have got, we want to keep.
“If Aberdeen want to take it off us, they will need to play very well because we are going to keep it.”
The longer the draw progressed the more the prospect of an Old Firm draw loomed. McGrain added: “I miss Rangers games and I’m sure the players and supporters do.
“But I wasn’t bothered whether we get Rangers here or Rangers in the next round or whatever.
“We deal with what we’ve got now and Aberdeen are going to be hard enough.
“I think Derek McInnes, will be happy that they’ve got us, maybe not at Celtic Park, but he’s got another bite at the cherry.”
Celtic progressed to the fifth round in emphatic style with a 7-0 hammering of Scottish Premiership rivals Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.
“I hope we can replicate the way we played on Sunday, which was just unbelievable football,” added McGrain.
“The players have a challenge to replicate that flowing style of football, but Aberdeen will put up a barrier to stop us playing and, whatever that may be, we will have to overcome that.”
Rangers manager Ally McCoist was happy to be at Ibrox against either Ayr United or Dunfermline following his team’s 2-0 win at Falkirk on Saturday.
“A lot of the players were watching the draw and we were getting a bit twitchy about what might happen with a few ties to go,” said McCoist.
“All I asked for was a home tie and we’re delighted as it’s with a team from the same division as us. I couldn’t be any happier.”
League 2 strugglers Albion Rovers were rewarded for their win against Motherwell with a home draw against League 1 side Stenhousemuir.
Hibernian were drawn at home to Raith Rovers as they bid for a third consecutive final. Dumbarton will travel to Alloa, Inverness visit Clyde or Stranraer, and Brechin or Forfar will host St Johnstone.