Celtic secured their spot in the League Cup final with a dominant display over Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday.
Less than 24 hours later, Rangers followed suit, though with considerably more effort, battling back from a first-half deficit to edge past Motherwell 2-1.
While Celtic’s performance was a statement of intent, Rangers laboured to put away Stuart Kettlewell’s side, highlighting the contrasting form between the Glasgow rivals.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic were relentless, sweeping aside Jimmy Thelin’s Dons with ease, whereas Philippe Clement’s Rangers had to dig deep to get past Motherwell, once again showing signs of struggle.
Following Rangers’ hard-fought win, Clement was candid about the challenge his side faces in the final. Speaking to BBC Sportsound, he acknowledged the formidable task awaiting them in December.
“Yeah, you see that Aberdeen also lost a lot of power against us a few days ago and that it’s more difficult to perform in that way every three days,” Clement noted.
“And Celtic played a really good game, so we know they’re a really good side. They’re showing that domestically and in Europe. So it’s a really big challenge, and we’re going to go for the challenge.”
Celtic’s Dominance Over Philippe Clement’s Rangers
Since Clement took charge at Ibrox in October 2023, Celtic have established near-complete control over the fixture, with four wins and a draw in five encounters. Here’s a look at how those games have unfolded:
30.12.2023: Celtic 2-1 Rangers – Goals from Paulo Bernardo and Kyogo Furuhashi gave Celtic a comfortable lead before James Tavernier’s late consolation.
07.04.2024: Rangers 3-3 Celtic – In a chaotic clash, Rangers rallied from 2-0 down to salvage a point, thanks to a James Tavernier penalty, Abdallah Sima’s equaliser, and Rabbi Matondo’s late strike. Clement celebrated this as a “moral victory,” though the defensive frailties were evident.
11.05.2024: Celtic 2-1 Rangers – Celtic effectively ended Rangers’ title hopes. Matt O’Riley opened the scoring, and a John Lundstram own goal gave Celtic a cushion. Cyriel Dessers pulled one back, but it was too little, too late.
25.05.2024: Celtic 1-0 Rangers – In the Scottish Cup final, Celtic edged out Rangers again, with Adam Idah’s late winner securing a domestic double for Rodgers in his return season.
01.09.2024: Celtic 3-0 Rangers – The season’s first Glasgow Derby saw Celtic assert dominance with goals from Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Callum McGregor, setting the tone for their campaign.
As the League Cup final approaches, Clement and Rangers will have to address these recent results and find a way to match Celtic’s intensity.
With Celtic’s recent superiority, Rangers face an uphill battle, with Clement needing to inspire a performance that could shift the balance of power in this fierce rivalry.