Celtic and Rangers secured crucial victories in the Scottish Premiership this weekend, setting the stage for a dramatic week that includes key European fixtures and the highly anticipated League Cup final next Sunday.
Celtic dispatched Hibernian with a commanding 3-0 victory at Celtic Park. The result provides momentum ahead of their trip to Croatia to face Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Rangers emerged 2-0 winners against Ross County in Dingwall, offering a timely boost of confidence before hosting Ange Postecoglou’s high-flying Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.
But the real drama lies in what comes next: the League Cup final at Hampden Park. This first meeting between the two Glasgow giants in a cup final this season promises to be a fiery contest.
Celtic, looking imperious on the domestic front, will be favourites, but Rangers’ recent improvement under manager Philippe Clement suggests they may be peaking at just the right moment.
Despite this resurgence, Clement’s recent remarks about Rangers’ upcoming challenges have raised eyebrows among supporters.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the victory over Ross County, Clement reflected on the disparity between his side and their next two opponents, Tottenham and Celtic.
“Of course, it’s totally different kinds of games,” Clement said.
“Maybe we need to say financially out of our league, the two games. But we are going to compete that way and it’s a really nice challenge for our squad to show themselves in these games and what we can do against those teams.”
While his candour may have been intended to manage expectations, it is unlikely to have been warmly received by Rangers fans, especially given the high stakes of the week ahead.
Former Scotland international and Sky Sports pundit James McFadden was quick to voice his disapproval, urging Clement to adopt a more defiant tone.
“The fact you’re giving them a chance of winning the cup because they’ve turned their form around, they’re finding the level of consistency,” McFadden said.
“I mean, obviously you want to do well in every game you play, but they would give up losing on Thursday to win the cup, absolutely, no doubt.
“So I think it’s going to be an interesting one because you play Spurs and you can say that they are out of their league financially – well, that’s the case with Ross County today. You get on with it, you just play the game and don’t make excuses before you’ve started.”
The Hampden showdown, with its 3:30pm kick-off, promises to be a spectacle regardless of the results in Europe earlier in the week. While continental success would provide a morale boost, the focus on Sunday will be entirely domestic.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side enter the contest as favourites, with the Parkhead manager boasting an unbeaten record against Rangers across his two spells at the club.
But with Clement’s Rangers seeking their first trophy under his stewardship, the match is finely poised to deliver a classic chapter in this storied rivalry.
