As attention turns to Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox Stadium, another chapter is set to be written between Rangers and Celtic.
Meetings between the Glasgow clubs in the Scottish Cup have frequently carried added significance, with a trophy at stake.
This weekend’s fixture has particular historical resonance; it will be the first time since 2011 that the sides have met in the competition away from Hampden Park with supporters in attendance.
Here, we revisit five of the most recent Scottish Cup meetings between the clubs.
Celtic 1-0 Rangers; Scottish Cup Final: 25/5/2024
The pivotal moment was saved until the very end of this tie. Controversy, however, wouldn't be far away as a strong cry for a Rangers penalty wouldn't be given after Liam Scales placed his two hands on the back of advancing opposition player Dujon Sterling. Rangers would have the ball in the back of the net in the second half from a corner. However, a melee on the goal line led to a VAR check with Nick Walsh sent to monitor to review a foul on Hoops 'keeper Joe Hart and the goal ruled out, marking the second time a two-handed push decision would go against Rangers. A flurry of bookings would keep the referee busy. As the match would approach its climax, Paolo Bernardo would drift forward and unleash a strike that Rangers goalkeeeper Jack Butland could only parry, with the ball arriving directly at the feet of Adam Idah, who was almost jogging on the spot to slip the ball home. This goal would seal not only Celtic's double that season, but also Idah's £9m switch to Celtic from Norwich City.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic; Scottish Cup Semi Final: 30/4/2023
The only real takeaway from this game would be a lesson on playing to the whistle, and that's how the only goal of the game came about. Celtic played a quick free kick, allowing Matt O'Reilly to float into the final third. He was then felled by a Rangers defender, and everyone seemed to just stop, everyone except for Daizen Maeda, who latched onto the stray ball and looped a cross toward the back post for Jota to head home and send Celtic on their way to an eventual treble following cup victory in June.
Celtic 1-2 Rangers (AET) Scottish Cup Semi Final: 17/4/2022
The old foes would return and face each other at Hampden on Easter Sunday in yet another semi-final, as kick-off would be delayed in a smoke-shrouded Hampden, adding to palpable tension. Celtic would score first, some intercit play following a short free-kick saw the ball arrive at the feet of Greg Taylor, in his trademark inverted position, to steer the ball into the net. Rangers would make an inspired substitution, bringing on Scott Arfield. He would score just four minutes after coming on to level the game and send it to extra time. As the game looked destined for penalties, Rangers rallied forward, with Calvin Bassey's driven cross from the left finding the outstretched boot of Fashion Sakala, and the ball nestling into the Celtic net to send the Ibrox side into the Scottish Cup Final.
Rangers 2-0 Celtic; Scottish Cup Last 16: 18/4/2021
Almost three years to the day from their last meeting in the grand old trophy, the sides would clash in an eerie environment. This would be the most recent time the two clubs would face off in the tournament, in a match not played at Hampden. The obvious caveat being that it was during the pandemic, with no crowds in attendance. Rangers opened the scoring with an acrobatic effort from Steven Davis. Joe Aribo's powerful and direct running down the right allowed him to cut in and shoot, only for his effort to deflect off a Celtic defender and loop into the direction of Davis. He volleyed the ball over his shoulder into the goal. Aribo would get his assist in the record books for Rangers' second. He turned his opposite number inside out and crossed the ball for the onrushing Ryan Kent, who stabbed the ball into the net. Celtic's misery was compounded in the second half, when Allan McGregor would save Odsonne Edouard's penalty and preserve a clean sheet for Rangers.
Celtic 4-0 Rangers; Scottish Cup Semi Final: 15/4/2018
The sides met in the Hampden sun to tussle out who would reserve the right to play Motherwell in the following month's final. In the end, it would be academic as Celtic ran out 4-0 winners. Celtic's first goal came courtesy of Tom Rogic, after Moussa Dembele cushioned a ball over the top to James Forrest, and the winger played a sliding pass to Rogic, who weaved one way then the other before slotting into the net. Their second came down the left, Kieran Tierney duped his man before he crossed, where Dembele laid off another pass, this time for Callum McGregor, who doubled their lead in quick succession. Dembele's strength troubled Rangers again as Ross McCrorie failed to get goalside and brought him down, receiving a red card. The Frenchman took the penalty and got his deserved goal, chipping goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. Celtic wrapped the game up, converting another penalty, this time it would be Olivier Ntcham to take the spotkick, and the outcome would be the same, another goal and a 4-0 win.
