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The teams emerge amid the roar, Hampden Park separated evenly between blue and green. To earn the chance to play St Mirren FC here in December … it all kicks off.

Other Matches

Additional games: John Brewin provides live updates for the West Ham-Newcastle clash in the EPL; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the day's opening matches in the Women's Super League.

As for us, we're only five minutes away until kick-off at the national stadium!

Officiating Team

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle this afternoon. He previously officiated the 2024 cup final featuring these two rivals and a continental game the previous campaign where he showed four red cards and a dozen bookings. Avoid challenging him.

Dugout Views

The German coach: While this is his first Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has made it clear in recent days that he's accustomed to being involved in other significant derbies as a coach, at Bayern Munich and with Sheffield Wednesday.

I can remember during Hansi Flick's appointment, our subsequent fixture took place against Dortmund at our stadium. We triumphed 4-0. It consistently offers motivation when you triumph in such matches. As well, in England's second tier during the Steel City derby, I was also part [of it] there. I recognize the importance for the fans. This represents more than a simple match.

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

I feel a big respect for that type of coaching legacy. I believe it's always impressive as a manager when you work so long in this business and you are successful.

I am just at the beginning of my career. I have a lot of work to do to come to this point though the encouraging factor we begin level, different generations and we'll observe what we can contribute through our squads in this encounter.

I'm incredibly enthusiastic. I've gained some experience though I anticipate an enormous event during Sunday's match. To be involved in this fixture, everything is at stake. Victory means reaching the final, a loss ends your participation. I believe all factors align for a magnificent contest.

Rival Coach

Martin O'Neill: The stand-in manager has this week been reminiscing about his first meeting against Rangers 25 years ago, the memorable 6-2 victory.

Now, repeating that performance may prove quite arduous, putting six past them versus that team. I would take a really lousy 1-0 victory if we managed to secure it. Certain supporters approach and mention to me: 'That was a great game', and they weren't even born. They inform me their grandfathers and fathers spoke about it regularly. It transformed into a crucial game for our team, not merely in that term, but possibly for sustained development.

The nervousness for about 72 hours prior to the match, and then should you secure success, a great relief. And I believe that's exactly the renowned Walter Smith often mentioned too, that it was relief more than anything else. However these were magnificent contests genuinely. It remains a wonderful encounter.

This constitutes a significant fixture for us. 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 recent times, if not recent weeks, absolutely.

Dugout History

Two different coaches in the dugouts today yet there's a substantial disparity in derby experience among them. Danny Röhl is experiencing his first leading Rangers while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage his 28th such match.

Today's result might significantly influence on how long O'Neill's return as temporary Celtic manager continues, as Ewan Murray has considered.

The club might spend £5m in compensation to lure Kieran McKenna from Ipswich. They could take an even bigger gamble with Robbie Keane. The title holders could decide to provide Nicky Hayen from Club Brugge a first taste within British soccer. These are all gambles in different manners. Beyond O'Neill? This is debatable.

Team Selections

Celtic FC (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 at left-back. James Forrest is additionally excluded from the first team that overcame 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 instead of Max Aarons in the right flank position, including Mohamed Diomande taking Connor Barron's suspended place in midfield with Thelo Aasgaard favored instead of Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Match Preview

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