🔗 Share this article

Live Updates

The teams emerge to a thunderous reception, Hampden Park split down the middle with blue and green sections. For the opportunity to meet St Mirren in this stadium this December … here we go.

Other Football

Other football: John Brewin offers real-time commentary for West Ham vs Newcastle in England's top flight; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the early kick-offs in the WSL.

Regarding our coverage, there's just over five minutes before the start at Hampden!

Referee Information

Nick Walsh will referee this match. He previously officiated the 2024 cup final featuring these two rivals and a Europa League match in the last term where he showed four dismissals and a dozen bookings. Don't cross him.

Manager Insights

The Rangers manager: Despite this being his debut in this fixture, the recently appointed boss has stated clearly recently that he's used to taking part in other major rivalries during his managerial journey, with Bayern Munich and Sheffield Wednesday.

I can remember during Hansi Flick's appointment, our following match was at home against Dortmund. We won 4-0. It always provides a lift following success in these encounters. Additionally, in the EFL Championship in the Sheffield derby, I was involved in that as well. I know what it means to the supporters. This represents more than a simple match.

The 36-year-old German has also been lauding the enduring career of 73-year-old Martin O'Neill.

I have tremendous respect for that type of coaching legacy. I consider it consistently remarkable in this profession when you sustain your career over decades in this industry and accomplish your objectives.

I'm only starting out my coaching path. I have a lot of work to do to achieve similar status but the good thing is we commence evenly matched, distinct coaching generations and we'll discover what we can contribute via our selections in this encounter.

I'm incredibly enthusiastic. I have had some experience though I anticipate a big, big one during Sunday's match. To be involved in this fixture, everything is at stake. Success secures a final place, a loss ends your participation. I feel all elements converge for a magnificent contest.

Opposition Manager

The experienced boss: The temporary Celtic boss has recently been recalling regarding his initial encounter with Rangers 25 years ago, the memorable 6-2 victory.

Now, repeating that performance could be very challenging, putting six past them versus that team. I would accept a scrappy single-goal triumph should we achieve it. Various individuals tell me and inform me: 'That was a fantastic encounter', and they weren't even born. They tell me their family members discussed it frequently. It became a really pivotal match for us, not merely in that term, but probably for continuing on.

The tension for nearly 72 hours prior to the match, and then if you got the result, tremendous relief. And I feel that's precisely the renowned Walter Smith used to say about it as well, that relief outweighed other emotions. Yet these represented superb matches really. It continues to be a superb rivalry.

This constitutes a significant fixture for our team. Honestly, don't conceal that fact. It's a semi-final, it's a big match for our squad. Every Old Firm match is a big game, but particularly given the circumstances of the recent days, if not weeks, certainly.

Managerial Experience

Two fresh managers leading their teams today yet there's a substantial disparity in derby experience among them. Danny Röhl encounters his inaugural as Rangers manager whereas Martin O'Neill prepares to oversee his twenty-eighth.

This match's conclusion could have a major impact regarding the tenure O'Neill's return as stand-in Celtic coach persists, as Ewan Murray has been pondering.

Celtic could pay five million pounds in compensation to coax Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. They could take a larger risk on Robbie Keane. The reigning champions could decide to provide Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen an initial experience in British football. These are all gambles in different manners. Beyond O'Neill? This is debatable.

Team Selections

Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Sarrachi; McGregor, Engels, Nygren; Maeda, Kenny, Tounekti.

Subs: Sinisalo, Balikwisha, Yang, Osmand, McCowan, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Tierney.

Marcelo Sarrachi features instead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. James Forrest is also omitted from the starting lineup that overcame Falkirk in their recent match.

Rangers (3-4-3): Butland; Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius; Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma; Aasgaard, Chermiti, Danilo.

Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Fernández, Rothwell, Antman, Moore, Gassama, Curtis, Miovski.

James Tavernier is selected ahead of Max Aarons on the right side, featuring Mohamed Diomande for the suspended Connor Barron in the middle with Thelo Aasgaard favored over Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Match Preview

Greetings and welcome to this derby match. It's got to be better {than last time|compared to the previous meeting|versus