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The players head out amid the roar, Hampden Park separated evenly with blue and green sections. To earn the chance to play St Mirren FC here this December … here we go.

Additional Fixtures

Other football: John Brewin provides live updates for West Ham v Newcastle in the Premier League; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the day's opening matches in the WSL.

Turning to this match, we're only five minutes away until kick-off at the national stadium!

Match Officials

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle this match. He also refereed the 2024 Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers plus a European fixture in the last term where he showed four red cards and 12 yellows. Don't cross him.

Manager Insights

The German coach: While this is his first Old Firm, the recently appointed boss has emphasized recently that he's used to being involved in other important local clashes during his managerial journey, with Bayern Munich plus his stint at Wednesday.

I can remember during Hansi Flick's appointment, our following match was at home against Dortmund. We secured a 4-0 victory. It consistently offers motivation when you triumph in such matches. Furthermore, in the Championship in the Steel derby, I was involved in that as well. I understand the significance to the supporters. This is more than just a game.

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 believe it's always impressive for a coach when you remain active for so many years in this industry and achieve success.

I'm merely commencing my professional journey. I have a lot of work to do to reach that level but the good thing is we commence evenly matched, separate eras and we'll discover what we can contribute through our squads in this fixture.

I'm incredibly enthusiastic. I've accumulated certain experiences though I anticipate an enormous event on Sunday. To participate in such a match, everything is at stake. You win, you go into the final, a loss ends your participation. I feel all elements converge for a great, great game.

Rival Coach

The Celtic manager: The Celtic interim manager has been reflecting this week about his first meeting with Rangers 25 years ago, the 6-2 'Demolition Derby'.

Now, repeating that performance may prove quite arduous, scoring six goals against those opponents. I would accept a scrappy single-goal triumph should we achieve it. Various individuals tell me and say to me: 'That was a great game', despite not being born at the time. They inform me their grandfathers and fathers spoke about it regularly. It became a really pivotal match for our club, not just that season, but probably for continuing on.

The anxiety for approximately three days before, and then should you secure success, significant comfort. And I think that's what the great Walter Smith frequently stated similarly, that comfort surpassed other feelings. But they were fantastic fixtures genuinely. It remains a wonderful encounter.

This represents an important match for us. Really, don't disguise that at all. It's a last-four clash, it's an important game for our squad. Each encounter between these rivals is a big game, however specifically because of the circumstances of recent times, possibly even months, absolutely.

Dugout History

Two different coaches on the sidelines this afternoon yet there's a substantial disparity in rivalry knowledge separating them. Danny Röhl faces his debut as the Rangers boss while Martin O'Neill is about to take charge of his 28th.

This match's conclusion may substantially affect regarding the tenure O'Neill's comeback as (interim, for now) Celtic boss lasts, as Ewan Murray has been pondering.

They could potentially invest substantial compensation to persuade Kieran McKenna from Ipswich. They may attempt a larger risk on Robbie Keane. The Scottish champions might choose to offer Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen a first taste within British soccer. These are all gambles in different manners. Even more than O'Neill? This remains questionable.

Starting Lineups

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

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

Marcelo Sarrachi begins instead of Kieran Tierney on the left defensive flank. James Forrest is also omitted of the XI that overcame Falkirk during the week.

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 gets the nod ahead of Max Aarons on the right side, including Mohamed Diomande for the suspended Connor Barron in midfield with Thelo Aasgaard favored to Mikey Moore in attack.

Opening Context

Greetings and welcome to this Old Firm clash. It ought to be superior {than last time|compared to the previous meeting|versus