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The teams emerge amid the roar, Hampden Park split down the middle with blue and green sections. To earn the chance to face St Mirren FC at this venue next month … it all kicks off.

Other Matches

More matches: John Brewin offers real-time commentary for the West Ham-Newcastle clash in the Premier League; Yara El-Shaboury brings the newest developments from the day's opening matches in the WSL.

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

Match Officials

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

Coaching Perspectives

The Rangers manager: While this is his first Old Firm, the recently appointed boss has stated clearly in recent days that he's accustomed to taking part in other significant derbies as a coach, during his time at Bayern and Sheffield Wednesday.

I can remember when Hansi Flick took over, our following match was versus Dortmund at home. We triumphed 4-0. It is always a booster following success in these encounters. Additionally, in the EFL Championship during the Steel City derby, I was involved in that as well. I understand the significance for the fans. This is more than just a game.

The 36-year-old German has been praising the enduring career of 73-year-old Martin O'Neill.

I hold great admiration for such a managerial journey. I think it is always great as a manager when you remain active for so many years in this field and achieve success.

I am just at the beginning of my career. I have a lot of work to do to reach that level but the good thing is we begin level, different generations and we'll observe what we can contribute with our teams in this game.

I am very excited. I have had some experience though I anticipate a big, big one on Sunday. To be involved in this fixture, everything is at stake. Victory means reaching the final, you lose, you're out. I feel all elements converge for an outstanding match.

Counterpart Perspective

Martin O'Neill: The temporary Celtic boss has recently been recalling concerning his debut match against Rangers two and a half decades past, the 6-2 'Demolition Derby'.

Now, repeating that performance could be very challenging, netting six times against that side. I'd settle for a really lousy 1-0 victory if we could get it. Some lads come up and inform me: 'That was a great game', 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 team, not just that season, but possibly for sustained development.

The tension for nearly 72 hours beforehand, and then if you got the result, significant comfort. And I believe that's exactly the great Walter Smith used to say about it as well, that it was relief more than anything else. Yet these represented superb matches really. It remains a wonderful encounter.

This constitutes a significant fixture for our club. Truthfully, don't hide that reality. It's a semi-final encounter, it's a big match for our side. Each encounter between these rivals represents a major event, though especially considering the circumstances of the recent days, possibly even months, certainly.

Managerial Experience

Two different coaches on the sidelines this afternoon but there's a big gap in derby experience between them. Danny Röhl encounters his inaugural as the Rangers boss while Martin O'Neill is about to take charge of his 28th.

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

The club might spend £5m in compensation to persuade Kieran McKenna from Ipswich. They could take a more significant chance with Robbie Keane. The reigning champions may opt to give Club Brugge's Nicky Hayen an initial experience of British football. These constitute chances to varying degrees. Even more than 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 starts preferred to Kieran Tierney at left-back. James Forrest is additionally excluded of the XI that overcame Falkirk during the week.

Rangers FC (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 gets the nod ahead of Max Aarons in the right flank position, with Mohamed Diomande coming in replacing the banned Connor Barron in the middle and Thelo Aasgaard chosen instead of Mikey Moore in attack.

Preamble

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