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The teams emerge into the noise, Hampden split down the middle with blue and green sections. For the right to meet St Mirren in this stadium in December … it all kicks off.

Other Football

Additional games: 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 early kick-offs in the women's top division.

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

Officiating Team

Nick Walsh takes charge this match. He was also the referee for the 2024 Scottish Cup final featuring these two rivals and a continental game last season where he showed four red cards and twelve cautions. Avoid challenging him.

Dugout Views

The Rangers manager: While this is his first Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has made it clear this week that he's used to taking part in other important local clashes in his coaching career, with Bayern Munich plus his stint at Wednesday.

I recollect during Hansi Flick's appointment, our subsequent fixture was versus Dortmund at home. We won 4-0. It is always a booster following success in these encounters. Furthermore, in the Championship during the Steel City derby, I participated there too. I recognize the importance for the fans. This is more than just a game.

The German manager has also been lauding Martin O'Neill's lengthy tenure at 73.

I feel a big respect for such a managerial journey. I think it is always great in this profession when you remain active for so many years in this industry and achieve success.

I'm merely commencing of my career. There's much work remaining to come to this point but the good thing is we start at 0-0, distinct coaching generations and we'll observe what we can demonstrate through our squads in this fixture.

I'm tremendously excited. I've gained some experience though I anticipate an enormous event this Sunday. To participate in such a match, it's all or nothing. You win, you go into the final, you lose, you're out. I believe all factors align for a magnificent contest.

Opposition Manager

The experienced boss: The temporary Celtic boss has recently been recalling concerning his debut match against Rangers a quarter-century ago, the 6-2 'Demolition Derby'.

Certainly, matching that achievement could be very challenging, putting six past them versus that team. I'd settle for a scrappy single-goal triumph if we managed to secure it. Some lads come up and mention to me: 'That was a fantastic encounter', despite not being born at the time. They inform me their grandfathers and fathers spoke about it regularly. It transformed into a crucial game for our team, not only during that campaign, but likely for future progress.

The tension for nearly 72 hours prior to the match, and then if you got the result, tremendous relief. And I feel that's precisely the great Walter Smith often mentioned too, that comfort surpassed other feelings. However these were magnificent contests really. It's still a fantastic fixture.

This represents an important match for us. Truthfully, don't hide that reality. It's a semi-final encounter, it's an important game for our side. Each encounter between these rivals represents a major event, however specifically because of the conditions of the past few days, if not weeks, definitely.

Managerial Experience

Two new managers in the dugouts today yet there's a substantial disparity in Old Firm experience between them. Danny Röhl is experiencing his first leading Rangers while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage his twenty-eighth.

Today's result could have a major impact regarding the tenure O'Neill's comeback as stand-in Celtic coach lasts, as Ewan Murray has been pondering.

Celtic could pay five million pounds in compensation to persuade Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. They may attempt a more significant chance on Robbie Keane. The title holders may opt to give Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen a first taste in British football. These represent risks in different manners. Beyond O'Neill? This is debatable.

Team Selections

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 features ahead of Kieran Tierney in the left-back position. James Forrest also drops out from the starting lineup that beat 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 is selected instead of Max Aarons on the right side, featuring Mohamed Diomande taking Connor Barron's suspended place in midfield and Thelo Aasgaard chosen to Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Preamble

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