🔗 Share this article

Live Updates

The squads take the field to a thunderous reception, Hampden separated evenly with blue and green sections. For the right to meet St Mirren in this stadium this December … here we go.

Additional Fixtures

Additional games: John Brewin provides live updates for West Ham v Newcastle in the Premier League; Yara El-Shaboury brings the newest developments from the early kick-offs in the women's top division.

Turning to this match, there's just over five minutes until kick-off at Hampden!

Officiating Team

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle this match. He previously officiated the 2024 cup final involving Celtic and Rangers and a Europa League match in the last term during which he issued four dismissals and a dozen bookings. Avoid challenging him.

Manager Insights

The German coach: Although this marks his initial Old Firm, the fresh-faced gaffer has stated clearly recently that he's accustomed to participating in other major rivalries as a coach, during his time at Bayern and with Sheffield Wednesday.

I recollect during Hansi Flick's appointment, our following match was at home against Dortmund. We triumphed 4-0. It always provides a lift following success in these encounters. Furthermore, in the EFL Championship in the Steel derby, I was also part [of it] there. I recognize the importance to the supporters. This represents more than a simple match.

The young coach has been complimenting Martin O'Neill's lengthy tenure at 73.

I feel a big respect for such a managerial journey. I think it is always great as a manager when you remain active for so many years in this field and accomplish your objectives.

I'm only starting out my coaching path. There's much work remaining to come to this point though the encouraging factor we commence evenly matched, different generations and we'll discover what we can demonstrate with our teams in this fixture.

I'm incredibly enthusiastic. I've gained some experience though I anticipate an enormous event during Sunday's match. To participate in such a match, everything is at stake. Success secures a final place, defeat means elimination. I believe all factors align for a magnificent contest.

Rival Coach

The experienced boss: The temporary Celtic boss has been reflecting this week regarding his initial encounter versus their rivals 25 years ago, the famous 6-2 demolition.

Certainly, matching that achievement could be very challenging, netting six times against those opponents. I would take a scrappy single-goal triumph if we managed to secure it. Various individuals tell me and inform me: 'That was a fantastic encounter', and they weren't even born. They inform me their family members spoke about it regularly. It transformed into a crucial game for us, not merely in that term, but likely for future progress.

The anxiety for approximately three days beforehand, and subsequently if you achieved victory, tremendous relief. And I feel that's precisely the great Walter Smith often mentioned too, that it was relief more than anything else. Yet these represented superb matches really. It's still a fantastic fixture.

This constitutes a significant fixture for our club. Truthfully, don't hide that reality. It's a semi-final encounter, it's an important game for our side. Every Old Firm match is a big game, though especially considering the circumstances of recent times, possibly even months, certainly.

Dugout History

Two different coaches on the sidelines this afternoon though there's a significant difference in rivalry knowledge between them. Danny Röhl encounters his inaugural as the Rangers boss while Martin O'Neill is about to take charge his twenty-eighth.

The outcome today might significantly influence regarding the tenure O'Neill's second spell as stand-in Celtic coach lasts, as Ewan Murray has been pondering.

They could potentially invest £5m in compensation to coax Kieran McKenna away from Ipswich. They might consider a larger risk on Robbie Keane. The title holders might choose to offer Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen a debut opportunity of British football. These represent risks in different manners. More than O'Neill? This is debatable.

First XIs

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

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

Marcelo Sarrachi features preferred to Kieran Tierney in the left-back position. James Forrest also drops out of the XI that beat Falkirk during the week.

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

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

James Tavernier receives preference ahead of Max Aarons in the right flank position, featuring Mohamed Diomande for the suspended Connor Barron in midfield and Thelo Aasgaard chosen to Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Opening Context

Hello and welcome to this derby match. It ought to be superior {than last time|compared to the previous meeting|versus