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The teams emerge to a thunderous reception, Hampden Park separated evenly into blue and green. For the opportunity to meet St Mirren FC in this stadium in December … here we go.

Additional Fixtures

Other football: John Brewin offers real-time commentary for West Ham vs Newcastle in the EPL; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the initial games in the Women's Super League.

Regarding our coverage, approximately five minutes remain before the start at Hampden!

Match Officials

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle today. He was also the referee for last year's Scottish Cup final featuring these two rivals and a Europa League match last season where he showed four red cards and 12 yellows. Steer clear of confrontation.

Manager Insights

The Rangers manager: Although this marks his initial Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has emphasized recently that he's used to participating in other significant derbies during his managerial journey, during his time at Bayern and Sheffield Wednesday.

I recall during Hansi Flick's appointment, our following match took place against Dortmund at our stadium. We secured a 4-0 victory. It always provides a lift if you win such a game. Furthermore, in the Championship during the Steel City derby, I participated there too. I understand the significance among the followers. This transcends ordinary football.

The young coach has been praising the enduring career of 73-year-old Martin O'Neill.

I hold great admiration for such a coaching career. I consider it consistently remarkable as a manager when you work so long in this field and achieve success.

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 commence evenly matched, distinct coaching generations and let's see what we can contribute with our teams in this game.

I am very excited. I've accumulated certain experiences but I expect an enormous event on Sunday. To be part of such a game, it's all or nothing. You win, you go into the final, you lose, you're out. I think everything is on for a magnificent contest.

Opposition Manager

The Celtic manager: The temporary Celtic boss has been reflecting this week regarding his initial encounter versus their rivals two and a half decades past, the 6-2 'Demolition Derby'.

Certainly, matching that achievement might be extremely difficult, scoring six goals against that side. I'd settle for a scrappy single-goal triumph if we could get it. Some lads come up and say to me: 'That was an amazing match', and they weren't even born. They inform 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 tension for nearly 72 hours beforehand, and then should you secure success, a great relief. And I think that's what the renowned Walter Smith used to say about it as well, that it was relief more than anything else. Yet these represented superb matches genuinely. It continues to be a superb rivalry.

This constitutes a significant fixture for our club. Really, don't disguise that at all. It's a semi-final, it's a crucial contest for our squad. Any Celtic-Rangers game constitutes a significant occasion, however specifically because of the situation of the past few days, possibly even months, certainly.

Dugout History

Two new managers in the dugouts today though there's a significant difference in Old Firm experience between them. Danny Röhl faces his debut as Rangers manager while Martin O'Neill is about to take charge his twenty-eighth.

The outcome today could have a major impact regarding the tenure O'Neill's second spell as stand-in Celtic coach continues, as Ewan Murray has considered.

The club might spend five million pounds in compensation to lure Kieran McKenna away from Ipswich. They could take a larger risk involving Robbie Keane. The title holders might choose to offer Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen a first taste in British football. These constitute chances in different manners. More than O'Neill? This remains questionable.

First XIs

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

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

Marcelo Sarrachi features ahead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. 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.

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

James Tavernier gets the nod ahead of Max Aarons on the right side, featuring Mohamed Diomande taking Connor Barron's suspended place in the middle and Thelo Aasgaard chosen to Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Opening Context

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