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The squads take the field into the noise, Hampden split down the middle between blue and green. To earn the chance to face St Mirren here this December … it all kicks off.

Other Matches

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 day's opening matches in the WSL.

As for us, we're only five minutes away before the game begins at Hampden!

Match Officials

Nick Walsh takes charge today. He was also the referee for the 2024 Scottish Cup final featuring these two rivals plus a European fixture the previous campaign where he showed four dismissals and a dozen bookings. Steer clear of confrontation.

Coaching Perspectives

The German coach: While this is his first Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has made it clear this week that he's familiar with participating in other major rivalries in his coaching career, at Bayern Munich plus his stint at Wednesday.

I recollect when Hansi Flick assumed control, our subsequent fixture took place against Dortmund at our stadium. We won 4-0. It consistently offers motivation when you triumph in such matches. Furthermore, in the Championship in the Steel derby, I was also part [of it] there. I recognize the importance to the supporters. This transcends ordinary football.

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

I have tremendous respect for that type of coaching legacy. I consider it consistently remarkable for a coach when you sustain your career over decades in this business and achieve success.

I'm only starting out of my career. I have substantial work ahead to achieve similar status but the good thing is we start at 0-0, different generations and we'll observe what we can demonstrate via our selections in this game.

I am very excited. I have had some experience though I anticipate a massive occasion during Sunday's match. To participate in such a match, everything is at stake. You win, you go into the final, defeat means elimination. I feel all elements converge for an outstanding match.

Opposition Manager

The Celtic manager: The Celtic interim manager has been reflecting this week about his first meeting with Rangers a quarter-century ago, the famous 6-2 demolition.

Now, repeating that performance might be extremely difficult, putting six past them versus that team. I would accept an unattractive 1-0 win if we could get it. Some lads come up and inform me: 'That was a great game', though they weren't alive then. They tell me their ancestors and parents discussed it frequently. It evolved into a decisive encounter for us, not only during that campaign, but probably for continuing on.

The tension for nearly 72 hours before, and then should you secure success, a great relief. And I feel that's precisely the great Walter Smith frequently stated similarly, that it was relief more than anything else. Yet these represented superb matches really. It's still a fantastic fixture.

This represents an important match for our club. Really, don't disguise that at all. It's a last-four clash, it's a crucial contest for us. Every Old Firm match represents a major event, however specifically because of the circumstances of the recent days, possibly even months, certainly.

Coaching Background

Two fresh managers in the dugouts today though there's a significant difference in rivalry knowledge separating them. Danny Röhl is experiencing his first as Rangers manager while Martin O'Neill is about to take charge his twenty-eighth.

Today's result might significantly influence on the duration O'Neill's comeback as (interim, for now) Celtic boss persists, as Ewan Murray has considered.

They could potentially invest substantial compensation to coax Kieran McKenna away from Ipswich. They might consider a more significant chance involving Robbie Keane. The Scottish champions could decide to provide Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen an initial experience within British soccer. These constitute chances in their own way. More than O'Neill? This remains questionable.

Team Selections

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 instead of Kieran Tierney in the left-back position. James Forrest also drops out from the first team that defeated Falkirk in their recent match.

Rangers FC (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 instead of Max Aarons in the right flank position, with Mohamed Diomande coming in for the suspended Connor Barron in central areas and Thelo Aasgaard preferred instead of Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Opening Context

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