Celtic and Rangers meet in the Scottish League Cup final on Sunday as Hampden Park hosts the first trophy of the season.
Obviously a new point in the premiership’s rankings, Brendan Rodgers’ side have produced impressive performance in midweek as they moved from Dinamo Zagreb to the UEFA Champions League. Unsurprisingly, they head into this game as a favorite to take over the trophy their former rivals won a year ago.
Rangers have struggled for consistency in the league, but have reserved their best performances for games against superior opposition. They claimed a stunning 4-1 away win over Nice in the Europa League last month, and have shown signs of improvement since their 3-0 loss to Celtic in their last derby meeting back on September 1. Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham at Ibrox should arguably have ended in a home win.
Sports News analyzes the most recent news and the alignments scheduled for this confrontation.
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Right-back Alistair Johnson is a doubt due to a hip challenge suffered in the 0-0 draw with Dinamo Zagreb, but is fit to start the final.
Daizen Maeda scored a hat-trick in Aberdeen’s 6-0 debate in the semifinals, and is accompanied by Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn and his compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi in attack. The latter scored both goals in the final victory of Celtic in 2023.
USMNT defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is bidding to lift the trophy for a third time.
Celtic starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Schmeichel (GK) — Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor — Bernardo, McGregor, Hatate — Kuhn, Furuhashi, Maeda
Celtic submarines: Scales, Palma, Idah, Valley, Sinisalo, Hyun-Jun, Engels, Forrest, Ralston
HELD: Thiago Holmsuspended: None
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Oscar Cortes returned to the bank for the Rangers in their 1-1 draw during the week with Tottenham, he and the central John Souttar, who had in that game, are missing this weekend. Leon Balogun and Robin Propper begin.
Hamza Igamane helps maintain his position despite his fall on the opposite floor against Spurs. Ianis Hagi and Nedim Bajrami start in support, while Mohamed Diomande enters the midfield.
Winger Rabbi Matondo is close to a return but still short of full fitness, and midfielder Tom Lawrence is not back from a leg injury sustained in the semifinal. Neraysho Kasanwirjo is a long-term absentee.
Rangers starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Butland (GK) — Tavernier, Propper, Balogun, Jefte — Diomande, Raskin — Cerny, Bejrami, Hagi — Igamane
Rangers replacements: Yilmaz, Barron, Dessers, Dowell, Sterling, Kelly, King, McCausland, Danilo
Wounded: Lawrence (leg), Kasanwirjo (knee), Matondo (Ischio-Legs), Oscar Cortés (muscle), Souttar (hamstrings). Suspended: none
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Joe Wright is an editor at Sporting News, where he covers world football and the GB team. He was previously deputy editor and editor of Goal. com before spending six years at news editorial service Stats Perform, covering primary global sports such as football, tennis, boxing, NBA, rugby and track and field. Joe has extensive experience covering some of football’s biggest events, adding two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, Confederations Cup 2017 and World Cup 2018, adding the final in Moscow.