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Match Coverage

The squads take the field amid the roar, Hampden split down the middle into blue and green. To earn the chance to meet St Mirren FC in this stadium next month … it all kicks off.

Other Football

More matches: John Brewin provides live updates for West Ham vs Newcastle in the Premier League; Yara El-Shaboury has all the latest from the day's opening matches in the women's top division.

As for us, there's just over five minutes before the game begins at Hampden Park!

Officiating Team

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle this afternoon. He previously officiated last year's Scottish Cup final featuring these two rivals plus a European fixture the previous campaign when he distributed four red cards and a dozen bookings. Avoid challenging him.

Coaching Perspectives

The German coach: Although this marks his initial Old Firm, the recently appointed boss has made it clear recently that he's accustomed to participating in other significant derbies as a coach, at Bayern Munich and Sheffield Wednesday.

I recollect when Hansi Flick took over, our subsequent fixture was versus Dortmund at home. We secured a 4-0 victory. It is always a booster following success in these encounters. As well, in the EFL Championship during the Steel City derby, I was also part [of it] there. I understand the significance for the fans. This transcends ordinary football.

The 36-year-old German has been praising 73-year-old Martin O'Neill's longevity.

I have tremendous respect for such a coaching career. I consider it consistently remarkable for a coach when you sustain your career over decades in this field 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 commence evenly matched, separate eras and we'll discover what we can contribute with our teams in this fixture.

I'm incredibly enthusiastic. I have had some experience yet I foresee an enormous event during Sunday's match. To be part of such a game, everything is at stake. Victory means reaching the final, defeat means elimination. I believe all factors align for a great, great game.

Counterpart Perspective

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

Well, replicating that may prove quite arduous, putting six past them versus that team. I would take an unattractive 1-0 win if we managed to secure it. Some lads come up and inform me: 'That was an amazing match', and they weren't even born. They relate to me their grandfathers and fathers spoke about it regularly. It transformed into a crucial game for our club, not only during that campaign, but probably for continuing on.

The anxiety for approximately three days beforehand, and then if you got the result, a great relief. And I believe that's exactly the great Walter Smith often mentioned too, that comfort surpassed other feelings. Yet these represented superb matches genuinely. It continues to be a superb rivalry.

This is a big game for our club. Honestly, don't conceal that fact. It's a semi-final, it's a big match for us. Any Celtic-Rangers game is a big game, though especially considering the situation of the recent days, if not weeks, certainly.

Dugout History

Two new managers on the sidelines this afternoon but there's a big gap in derby experience among them. Danny Röhl is experiencing his first as Rangers manager while Martin O'Neill is about to take charge his 28th such match.

The outcome today could have a major impact on the duration O'Neill's return as stand-in Celtic coach persists, as Ewan Murray has been pondering.

Celtic could pay five million pounds in compensation to lure Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. They could take an even bigger gamble with Robbie Keane. The reigning champions might choose to offer Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen an initial experience of British football. These constitute chances in their own way. More than O'Neill? This is arguable.

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 begins ahead of Kieran Tierney in the left-back position. James Forrest also drops out of the XI that defeated Falkirk in midweek.

Rangers (3-4-3): Butland; Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius; Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma; Aasgaard, Chermiti, Danilo.

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

James Tavernier is selected instead of Max Aarons on the right side, featuring Mohamed Diomande for the suspended Connor Barron in midfield and Thelo Aasgaard preferred over Mikey Moore in forward roles.

Preamble

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