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The players head out amid the roar, Hampden divided in two with blue and green sections. For the right to meet St Mirren in this stadium this December … it all kicks off.

Additional Fixtures

More matches: John Brewin provides live updates for the West Ham-Newcastle clash in the EPL; Yara El-Shaboury delivers fresh updates from the initial games in the Women's Super League.

Regarding our coverage, there's just over five minutes before the game begins at the national stadium!

Match Officials

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

Dugout Views

The German coach: Despite this being his debut in this fixture, the new Rangers manager has emphasized this week that he's used to participating in other important local clashes during his managerial journey, at Bayern Munich and with Sheffield Wednesday.

I recall during Hansi Flick's appointment, our subsequent fixture was at home against Dortmund. We secured a 4-0 victory. It consistently offers motivation when you triumph in such matches. Furthermore, in the EFL Championship in the Steel derby, I was also part [of it] there. I know what it means to the supporters. This is more than just a game.

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

I hold great admiration for that type of coaching legacy. I think it is always great as a manager when you sustain your career over decades in this business and achieve success.

I am just at the beginning of my career. I have substantial work ahead to come to this point however the positive aspect we start at 0-0, different generations and let's see what we can bring via our selections in this game.

I am very excited. I've gained some experience yet I foresee a big, big one 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 an outstanding match.

Counterpart Perspective

The experienced boss: The temporary Celtic boss has been reflecting this week about his first meeting versus their rivals 25 years ago, the memorable 6-2 victory.

Well, replicating that could be very challenging, putting six past them versus that team. I would accept a scrappy single-goal triumph if we could get it. Certain supporters approach and inform me: 'That was a great game', though they weren't alive then. They relate to me their family members discussed it frequently. It became a really pivotal match for us, not merely in that term, but possibly for sustained development.

The anxiety for approximately three days prior to the match, and then if you got the result, significant comfort. And I believe that's exactly the legendary Walter Smith used to say about it as well, that comfort surpassed other feelings. But they were fantastic fixtures truly. It continues to be a superb rivalry.

This constitutes a significant fixture for us. Really, don't disguise that at all. It's a semi-final encounter, it's a big match for our side. Any Celtic-Rangers game represents a major event, though especially considering the circumstances of the recent days, possibly even months, definitely.

Managerial Experience

Two fresh managers in the dugouts today though there's a significant difference in Old Firm experience separating them. Danny Röhl encounters his inaugural as the Rangers boss while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage of his 28th.

Today's result may substantially affect regarding the tenure O'Neill's second spell as (interim, for now) Celtic boss continues, as Ewan Murray has been pondering.

Celtic could pay substantial compensation to coax Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. They may attempt an even bigger gamble on Robbie Keane. The reigning champions may opt to give Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen a debut opportunity of British football. These constitute chances in their own way. More than O'Neill? This is debatable.

First XIs

Celtic (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 begins ahead of Kieran Tierney on the left defensive flank. James Forrest is also omitted 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.

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

James Tavernier is selected ahead of Max Aarons in the right flank position, featuring Mohamed Diomande taking Connor Barron's suspended place in the middle and Thelo Aasgaard chosen over Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Match Preview

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