PEDRO CAIXINHA insists his ‘wounded’ Rangers players will prove they have the heart for the Old Firm battle as they bid to avenge their Scottish Cup defeat to Celtic.

The Gers were beaten 2-0 at Hampden on Sunday as Brendan Rodgers’ side eased into the final and to within 90 minutes of a domestic Treble this term.

Rangers turned in their poorest performance of the Caixinha era against the Hoops and the Portuguese admitted this week he was ‘ashamed’ in the aftermath of a one-sided derby duel.

Celtic head to Ibrox this weekend aiming to continue their unbeaten Premiership run and make it five Old Firm fixtures without defeat this season.

Read more: Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha won't change his tactics but he will demand a shift in mentality against CelticGlasgow Times:

When asked if he felt ashamed because of the lack of passion from his side, Caixinha said: “Totally. Because you know what we receive from our fans and supporters - passion. At least the one thing you should give back is the same.

“I analysed that with the players and they know when we realised that.

“I am not saying that they saw one side of me or the other side of me. But we analysed it with the players what really happened and what was supposed to happen.

“We lost the match. They were better than us. They beat us.

“Definitely we missed that passion. We missed that commitment.

“Because I believe in the players I have inside. You know what it means to have wounded pride? Have you ever faced someone with wounded pride?

“How did it feel from the other side, feeling like the other one was like that? How did you smell it?

“Well that is the way we are. And that is the way that they are.

“But they need to show that to themselves and to ourselves. Not to nobody else.

“[They have been] great [this week], like they weren't on the previous week. But now they have the wounded pride.”