Celtic and Rangers face their fifth and final showdown of the season in the Scottish Cup Final 2024, with a trophy double at stake for both sides.
Brendan Rodgers' men are so far undefeated against their city rivals this campaign, and having just clinched the Scottish Premiership – the club's third in as many years – they now have their sights set on securing a traditional league and cup double triumph.
Philippe Clement's players, on the other hand, will be keen to finish what has ultimately been a turbulent season on a positive note. Despite running Celtic close at one point during the league campaign, Rangers ultimately finished eight points behind – meaning the Scottish Cup final offers the Ibrox side the chance to secure two domestic cups, having already lifted the League Cup last December.
By Saturday evening, one side will have been crowned champions, but until then here are our Celtic vs Rangers predictions.
Celtic v Rangers predictions for the Scottish Cup Final 2024
Ewan Paton
Celtic 4 – 2 Rangers
I'm predicting a cup final classic at Hampden. It is the showpiece event to bring the curtain down on the season after all, isn't it? The smart money is definitely on Celtic to make it a league and cup double to round off a solid first season back in Glasgow for Brendan Rodgers. It hasn't been without its challenges, as should always be the case, but two trophies in the cabinet will do him and the club nicely when all is said and done.
I do think Rangers will give a much better account of themselves at the national stadium compared to the previous encounter just a fortnight ago. I think it'll be finely poised until the final 15 minutes or so before Celtic manage to put their bitter rivals to the sword.
Matthew Lindsay
Celtic 3 – 1 Rangers
Form goes out the window in Old Firm games. Anything can happen in a one-off cup tie. A 50-50 split of fans at Hampden will make for a more even match. Blah, blah, blah.
A lot of football cliches have been trotted out by fans and pundits alike in the build-up to the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final this week. But if Celtic perform as they can – and they have been back to their best of late – tomorrow then I would expect them to prevail comfortably and complete a league and cup double.
Rangers are low on confidence after falling short in the cinch Premiership and look set to have a number of important players missing or half-fit. I just can’t see them rising to the occasion. Maybe their opponents will have overindulged after landing their third consecutive Scottish title last week and will have an off day. But if the defending champions turn up they triumph.
Graeme McGarry
Celtic 3 – 1 Rangers
While it is often said that the form book goes out the window in these games, you can’t ignore it either, and the way the last few weeks have unfolded for both of these sides means you have to fancy Celtic to win here.
Rangers come into the game with a huge injury list, and on a huge downer after allowing the league title to slip from their grasp. Celtic come into it on the back of their title celebrations, and have really seemed to hit their straps at the right moment.
Stranger things have happened, and the Celtic defence will always cough up chances. The question is, can the likes of Cyriel Dessers and Fabio Silva be clinical enough to take them?
Even Rangers fans will be travelling to Hampden more in hope than expectation, and the smart money is on another Celtic win.
Joe Donnelly
Celtic 2 – 0 Rangers
Despite being undefeated against Rangers in 2023/24 so far, and buoyed by their great form and recent Scottish Premiership win, I don't expect Celtic to dominate this derby as they have done for the most part this season. I do, however, expect them to win.
As ambiguous as external factors may be, I personally believe the occasion, the 50-50 split crowd, and the fact that Philippe Clement and his players will be desperate to finish the season on a positive note – having ultimately wrapped up the league eight points behind in second place – will make for a more closely-contested game.
But in the areas of the pitch that matter – the high defensive line, the midfield battle, the explosive wingers, and all-firing frontline – not to mention the intensity and winning mentality that Brendan Rodgers and his side have shown in recent weeks will, for me, make the difference at the national stadium.
David Irvine
Celtic 3 – 2 Rangers
With a double on the line for both teams at Hampden, I'm expecting a blood and thunder battle at the national stadium.
There's no doubt Celtic have had the upper hand in recent meetings, it'd take something special for the tide to change on Saturday. But Philippe Clement knows he will be judged on his record against Brendan Rodgers and his side simply must show something after missing out on the league title.
Expect goals, and lots of them. Expect fierce battles and tackles, and lots of them.
But as it has been all this season, expect Celtic to run out winners even if Rangers do run them close. Celtic just have too much quality for Rangers - they should show it again on Saturday and head back to Parkhead with another trophy.
Jonny McFarlane
Celtic 3 - 2 Rangers
While the games between the Old Firm this season have been tight, Celtic have largely felt in control and holding off their opponents with more than a little to spare.
While Philippe Clement has done an excellent job in ensuring any kind of title race given the shambles he inherited, his team have lost form at the worst time of the season and look shaky in every department.
With the likes of Lundstram, Jack, Barisic and Roofe out of contract and even stalwarts like Tavernier and Goldson potentially exiting to Saudi, this really is a final curtain for the Rangers team Steven Gerrard began building in 2018.
Brendan Rodgers, like the bookies, will look at the two sides on paper and fancy his chances of making their leaving parties very subdued indeed.
