Celtic vs Rangers LIVE: Scottish League Cup final result and reaction as Old Firm derby settled on penalties

Both these sides were in midweek action in Europe, with Rangers’ tie perhaps the more eyecatching one despite being in the lower competition.

The Gers drew with Premier League side Tottenham 1-1 in an enthralling encounter. leaving them eighth in the Europa League table with two matches to play. The top eight go through so there’s work still to do, but it’s in their own hands to avoid the playoffs.

As for Celtic, they also drew, with their 0-0 scoreline at Dinamo Zagreb meaning they sit 21st in the Champions League, above the likes of Man City and level on points with Real Madrid. Another positive result in their remaining two games is still required to ensure they make the playoffs - they need top 24 for that.

Celtic have again been the dominant force in Scottish football of late, winning the title in 12 of the last 13 seasons. Since 2017 they’ve also won the Scottish Cup six times and the League Cup the same amount, which naturally means Rangers’ own trophy cupboard has had fewer additions recently.

The 2020/21 SPL title was theirs, so too the 2022 Scottish Cup and as mentioned, last season’s League Cup.

They finished runners-up in the Europa League too in ‘22 but there’s no trophy for that. They’d certainly like to add more silverware today to skew the balance a little more.

The League Cup route this season for both teams:

Celtic

• second round - 3-1 v Hibs
• Quarter-final 5-2 v Falkirk
• Semi-final 6-0 v Aberdeen

Rangers

• second round - 2-0 v St Johnstone
• QF 3-0 v Dundee
• SF 2-1 v Motherwell

So, 2024/25 then: The sides met in the SPL derby back in September and it was a very routine win for Celtic that time, 3-0 with Maeda, Furuhashi and McGregor all scoring. Rangers had a few out injured but the gulf in the sides was evident.

That was the 442nd meeting between the sides, with Celtic now winning 170, Rangers 169 and 103 finishing draws.

In this competition, the League Cup, it’s 25 wins for Celtic, 24 for Rangers and two draws from 51 meetings.

What will the 52nd bring?

Before we get into this season, worth remembering these two met in the Scottish Cup final at the end of last term - Celtic emerged victorious that day to complete a league and cup double.

Adam Idah scored a last-minute goal to settle the match 1-0, with 12 yellow cards shown - but no reds.

That was the first Old Firm meeting in a Scottish Cup final since 2002; now a few months on we’ve got another in another competition.

In the Scottish Premiership this season, there’s a bit of a gulf between the two sides.

Celtic are top on 43 points having drawn once and won 14 times from 15 games - that relentlessness has them a massive 12 points ahead of Rangers, who have lost three times this season.

The Gers are also only third in the table, as they trail Aberdeen by two points, though they do have a game in hand on the Dons.

They’ve won their last three in the league, scoring ten and conceding none in the process, to mark a definite uptick in consistency of late, but Celtic can merely point to their win streak currently standing at seven in the SPL.

In all competitions Rangers are nine unbeaten including a 1-1 draw with Tottenham in midweek, while Celtic are 14 unbeaten since a 7-1 thrashing - their only loss this term - at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Last year’s final saw the Gers beat Aberdeen 1-0, James Tavernier scoring the goal before lifting the trophy himself.

Celtic’s involvement had long-since ended, beaten by Kilmarnock in the second round.

Over the past eight seasons, the Hoops have either gone out in that exact round or won the entire competition.

Good afternoon - we’re a few hours out from kick-off in Scotland, with Rangers aiming to extend their record in the competition to 29 all-time successes. Celtic are a few off them, currently having lifted the trophy 21 times, including six times out of seven in a run from 2017 to 2023.

Last year Rangers halted that streak for what was their first win in the competition since 2011, improbably.

It’s Scottish League Cup final day in Glasgow, with the Old Firm foes colliding in a battle for the first silverware of the season. Can defending champions Rangers throw Celtic off course as Brendan Rodgers’s side chase a treble?

Kick off is at 3.30pm GMT.