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The teams emerge amid the roar, Hampden Park split down the middle with blue and green sections. For the right to meet St Mirren FC here next month … it all kicks off.

Additional Fixtures

More matches: John Brewin is on our minute-by-minute coverage for West Ham v Newcastle in the Premier League; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the early kick-offs in the Women's Super League.

Regarding our coverage, we're only five minutes away until kick-off at Hampden!

Officiating Team

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle today. He previously officiated the 2024 cup final featuring these two rivals plus a European fixture the previous campaign during which he issued four red cards and 12 yellows. Avoid challenging him.

Manager Insights

The Rangers manager: Although this marks his initial Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has stated clearly this week that he's familiar with taking part in other major rivalries during his managerial journey, during his time at Bayern and Sheffield Wednesday.

I recollect during Hansi Flick's appointment, our following match was versus Dortmund at home. We triumphed 4-0. It consistently offers motivation if you win such a game. As well, in the EFL Championship in the Sheffield derby, I was also part [of it] there. I recognize the importance for the fans. This is more than just a game.

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

I hold great admiration for such a coaching career. I consider it consistently remarkable for a coach when you remain active for so many years in this field and you are successful.

I am just at the beginning my professional journey. I have a lot of work to do to achieve similar status though the encouraging factor we begin level, separate eras and we'll observe what we can bring through our squads in this fixture.

I'm tremendously excited. I have had some experience though I anticipate an enormous event this Sunday. To be part of such a game, the stakes are extremely high. Success secures a final place, a loss ends your participation. I believe all factors align for an outstanding match.

Counterpart Perspective

The Celtic manager: The Celtic interim manager has been reflecting this week about his first meeting with Rangers two and a half decades past, the 6-2 'Demolition Derby'.

Well, replicating that could be very challenging, netting six times versus that team. I would accept an unattractive 1-0 win should we achieve it. Some lads come up and say to me: 'That was a fantastic encounter', despite not being born at the time. They inform me their grandfathers and fathers discussed it frequently. It evolved into a decisive encounter for us, not only during that campaign, but likely for future progress.

The anxiety for approximately three days before, and then if you got the result, tremendous relief. And I believe that's exactly the great Walter Smith frequently stated similarly, that comfort surpassed other feelings. But they were fantastic fixtures truly. It continues to be a superb rivalry.

This constitutes a significant fixture for us. Honestly, don't conceal that fact. It's a semi-final encounter, it's a crucial contest for our squad. Any Celtic-Rangers game represents a major event, however specifically because of the conditions of the recent days, if not weeks, absolutely.

Managerial Experience

Two different coaches on the sidelines this afternoon though there's a significant difference in Old Firm experience among them. Danny Röhl is experiencing his first as Rangers manager while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage his twenty-eighth.

Today's result could have a major impact on the duration O'Neill's return as (interim, for now) Celtic boss continues, as Ewan Murray has considered.

Celtic could pay five million pounds in compensation to lure Kieran McKenna from Ipswich. They could take a larger risk involving Robbie Keane. The reigning champions may opt to give Nicky Hayen from Club Brugge a first taste in British football. These represent risks in different manners. Beyond 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 ahead of Kieran Tierney in the left-back position. James Forrest is also omitted from the starting lineup that beat Falkirk in their recent match.

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

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

James Tavernier is selected ahead of Max Aarons on the right side, with Mohamed Diomande coming in replacing the banned Connor Barron in midfield with Thelo Aasgaard favored over Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Opening Context

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