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Live Updates

The teams emerge to a thunderous reception, Hampden Park split down the middle into blue and green. To earn the chance to meet St Mirren at this venue next month … it all kicks off.

Other Football

Other football: John Brewin provides live updates for the West Ham-Newcastle clash in England's top flight; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the initial games in the women's top division.

Turning to this match, we're only five minutes away before the start at Hampden!

Officiating Team

Nick Walsh takes charge today. He also refereed the 2024 Scottish Cup final featuring these two rivals plus a European fixture last season where he showed four red cards and twelve cautions. Don't cross him.

Coaching Perspectives

Danny Röhl: Although this marks his initial Old Firm, the recently appointed boss has emphasized recently that he's familiar with participating in other significant derbies in his coaching career, with Bayern Munich and with Sheffield Wednesday.

I can remember when Hansi Flick took over, our subsequent fixture was at home against Dortmund. We secured a 4-0 victory. It is always a booster when you triumph in such matches. Additionally, 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 German manager has also been lauding the enduring career of 73-year-old Martin O'Neill.

I hold great admiration for that type of coaching legacy. I believe it's always impressive as a manager when you sustain your career over decades in this industry and achieve success.

I am just at the beginning my professional journey. There's much work remaining to come to this point but the good thing is we begin level, different generations and let's see what we can contribute with our teams in this fixture.

I'm tremendously excited. I have had some experience but I expect a big, big one this Sunday. To be part of such a game, the stakes are extremely high. Victory means reaching the final, defeat means elimination. I feel all elements converge for a great, great game.

Rival Coach

The experienced boss: The Celtic interim manager has been reflecting this week regarding his initial encounter with Rangers two and a half decades past, the 6-2 'Demolition Derby'.

Certainly, matching that achievement could be very challenging, netting six times against that side. I would take a scrappy single-goal triumph should we achieve it. Various individuals tell me and inform me: 'That was a great game', and they weren't even born. They tell me their grandfathers and fathers discussed it frequently. It evolved into a decisive encounter for our team, not merely in that term, but probably for continuing on.

The nervousness for about 72 hours before, and then if you got the result, tremendous relief. And I feel that's precisely the legendary Walter Smith frequently stated similarly, that it was relief more than anything else. Yet these represented superb matches genuinely. It's still a fantastic fixture.

This represents an important match for us. Really, don't disguise that at all. It's a semi-final, it's a big match for us. Every Old Firm match is a big game, however specifically because of the situation of recent times, possibly even months, certainly.

Coaching Background

Two different coaches on the sidelines this afternoon but there's a big gap in Old Firm experience separating them. Danny Röhl faces his debut leading Rangers while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage of his 28th.

This match's conclusion may substantially affect on how long O'Neill's second spell as (interim, for now) Celtic boss continues, as Ewan Murray has considered.

They could potentially invest five million pounds in compensation to persuade Kieran McKenna from Ipswich. They could take a more significant chance involving Robbie Keane. The title holders may opt to give Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen a debut opportunity of British football. These represent risks in different manners. Even more than O'Neill? This is arguable.

First XIs

Celtic (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 in the left-back position. James Forrest also drops out 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.

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

James Tavernier receives preference over Max Aarons in the right flank position, with Mohamed Diomande coming in taking Connor Barron's suspended place in midfield with Thelo Aasgaard favored instead of Mikey Moore in attack.

Match Preview

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