Scottish Premiership: Celtic v Rangers | OneFootball

It is almost certain that Celtic will be the team lifting the Scottish Premiership trophy on the final day of the season, but this weekend’s ultimate derby still means everything to all concerned.

Always a big game

League positions, form and other endeavours do not matter when it’s derby day in Glasgow. The fact Rangers are trailing their cross-city rivals by 16 points will only make them want to win even more. Celtic will feel no different, with complacency simply not an option. This is not a fixture to be taken lightly.

Both clubs have a rich history and their rivalry is steeped in political conflict. Even well into the 21st century, Celtic supporters bear their Irish identity with deep pride, while followers of Rangers never miss an opportunity to display their loyalty to the Unionist cause.

Such conflict has been reflected on the pitch over many years and with Celtic and Rangers dominating the Scottish game for most of its history, this is a rivalry like no other. The Old Firm, or Glasgow derby if you’re a Celtic fan who claims the Old Rangers don’t exist anymore, never disappoints!

Away supporters are back for Celtic v Rangers

This particular derby fixture is special as for the first time in more than two years, an away following will be present inside the stadium.

The visiting team used to get a large allocation of tickets. However, during the years when Rangers were recovering after being demoted to the fourth tier due to their financial troubles, they got tired of being thrashed and reduced the away allocation to a few hundred supporters.

Well, that’s basically what happened. Rangers claim they wanted to prioritise season ticket holders, but would they have offered Celtic fewer tickets if they could actually win a game for once?

After a few derbies with diminished away crowds, Celtic made the decision to pull the plug on away crowds entirely, denying Rangers any tickets due to safety concerns, supposedly. This was the final step in destroying the biggest rivalry in soccer. Thank goodness they almost always meet at the national stadium in the cups where there’s a 50/50 split in tickets!

This time around there will be 2400 Rangers supporters at Celtic Park on Sunday, the same number of tickets offered to teams in European ties. It may not be as many as the good old days, but it’s certainly better than the childish debates we’ve seen during the past few years.

An overview of both team’s form

Celtic will be as confident as ever on Sunday. They have overcome their most recent league defeat with three straightforward wins, scoring 12 goals in the process.

Rangers on the other hand lost their last Premiership match at home to Motherwell and were defeated 2-0 by Fenerbahce. They qualified for the Europa League quarter-finals, however, after winning a penalty shootout against Jose Mourinho’s men, so they won’t be discouraged.

Last time these teams met Celtic were on a better run, yet this didn’t stop Rangers from running riot and securing a 3-0 victory against a side who looked to be getting a bit too prideful. Plus, Barry Fergurson will be eager to impress in his first Glasgow derby as the manager of his boyhood club.

Prediction for Celtic v Rangers

Celtic will be well rested on Sunday, while Rangers may be tired after going the distance against Fenerbahce. The Ibrox outfit could use that as an advantage, however, because they will not have to shift their mindset from basic training to high intensity.

Having said this, Celtic have a strong record at home against Rangers, particularly under Brendan Rodgers. Daizen Maeda is in unbelievable form and looks an attacking threat every time the Bhoys play. Jota looks to be getting back to his best and Nicholas Kuhn always provides quality when he cuts inside from the right.

Rangers have quality of their own and Cyriel Dessers in particular is in fine goalscoring form. However ultimately, Celtic have been consistently better this season and it’s hard to see anything other than the Hoops clinching another win and moving 18 points clear.

Prediction: Celtic 3-1 Rangers