Opinion: In-form Celtic star more than capable of emulating countryman

Giorgos Giakoumakis is in very good form for Celtic at the moment. He has scored five goals in his last two appearances for the Hoops, and has 12 goals for the season, with 11 of them coming in 2022.

You have to think that he will start for the Hoops in the Glasgow derby against Rangers on Sunday, in what will be his first visit to Ibrox.

Giakoumakis will undeniably be a big player for Celtic in the derby, he is capable of causing the Rangers defence lots of problems like he did when the teams met at Celtic Park last month.

With the current run of form he is in, the 27-year-old is more than capable of emulating a fellow Greek striker who turned in one of the best Celtic forward displays ever scene at Ibrox – Georgios Samaras.

Back in January 2011, Samaras helped an under-strength Celtic side to a famous 2-0 win at Ibrox, becoming a Hoops legend overnight when his two goals secured a memorable win.

What is most notable about that game is that the Rangers defence couldn’t deal with the pace and power that Samaras provided for the Hoops. His pace led to the first goal, whilst power allowed him to run into the penalty box, holding off challenges before eventually winning a penalty which he scored himself.

Giakoumakis is a different kind of player, as he does most of his good work in the penalty box. That was shown in the derby at Celtic Park last month, where he came close to scoring on at least three occasions. 

His form has improved since then though, and you would be confident that he would find the back of the net if presented with the same chances at Ibrox on Sunday.

Giakoumakis seems to be more of a natural goal scorer than Samaras, who did a lot of good work on the wings, and outside of the penalty box, but on his day