Dundee United’s Paul Dixon insists that all players, even ones at the stratospheric levels of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, cannot help but be distracted by an impending cup final.
The Tangerines full-back knows that only too well having played in one against Celtic in March.
Now, with United facing an Inverness side tonight who have secured a place in their first Scottish Cup Final, he is aware just how tough it will be for the Highland outfit’s players to retain their full focus on league business.
Dixon, who rejoined United for his second spell at the club at the start of February, said: “People try to say it is not a distraction but believe me it is.
“I don’t care if you are Messi or Ronaldo or even playing in the Scottish Premiership, a forthcoming cup final always remains at the back of your mind.
“It doesn’t mean you don’t give 100 per cent in your other games but there is always something there at the back of your mind that you could get suspended or a niggling injury that could put you out of the final.
“It is very hard to go out there without worrying about maybe missing the final through injury or suspension.
“All the Inverness boys will be giving 100 per cent because they will all want to play in the final but it is one of these weird situations that comes up in football. It is a tough one for the Inverness lads.”
United closed the gap to four points on Inverness in third place at the weekend with their win over Aberdeen at Tannadice.
As well as tonight’s game, the Tangerines will also play ICT on May 16 and Dixon believes those matches will be pivotal in determining whether United can finish in third and secure automatic European qualification.
He added: “We look forward to Inverness. We had a great win over Aberdeen at the weekend and we are now looking to build on that on Tuesday.
“We have four games left and we just want to win as many of these as we can. We want to get as high up the table as we can and hopefully into Europe.
“I would imagine these Inverness games will be key. We are only four points behind them.
“We will just focus on trying to beat everybody we have left to face.
“We just have to take it one game at a time to try to get third.”