Motherwell

Celtic secured their spot in the League Cup final scheduled for December after delivering an emphatic defeat to Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday. Their commanding performance left no doubt about their readiness for the final. Meanwhile, Rangers joined Celtic in the final a day later, but their journey was much more challenging. After going down early in the first half against Motherwell, they had to fight hard to come back, eventually winning the semi-final 2-1.

In the aftermath of Rangers’ victory, Philippe Clement expressed concern about the upcoming challenge of facing Celtic in just over a month. He acknowledged the difficulties teams face in maintaining peak performance every few days, citing Aberdeen’s recent struggles against both teams. Clement emphasized that Celtic is a formidable opponent, demonstrating their strength both domestically and in Europe. He recognized the upcoming match as a significant challenge, expressing his determination to rise to it.

Since Clement took over as Rangers’ boss in October 2023, Celtic has dominated their encounters, winning four of the five matches they’ve played against each other. In their most recent clash on September 1, 2024, Celtic once again asserted their dominance with a 3-0 victory, sending a clear message to their rivals early in the season.