An Old Firm Christmas Carol
Celtic got their hands on silverware, but what does the latest Old Firm derby tell us?
This is a guest article by Andrew Jeffrey. Follow Andy on Substack and X.
Celtic’s champion culture won the day on Sunday, as the Hoops downed Old Firm rivals Rangers 5-4 on penalties after a pulsating 3-3 draw in the Scottish League Cup final.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was Celtic’s hero. Like his predecessor, Joe Hart, Schmeichel is a former Premier League champion, and that winning mentality was on show from Brendan Rodgers’ side at Hampden Park.
In the lead up to the final Celtic had beaten, slightly fortunately, Hibernian and drawn in Zagreb in the Champions League.
Rangers, on the other hand, had battered Ross County to nil and taken Tottenham Hotspur all the way in their ‘Battle of Britain’ clash in the Europa League, in a high-intensity, breathless 1-1 draw.
Philippe Clement’s side have been transformed of late, and the question was could his players raise themselves three days later in the rain at Hampden?
His record against Celtic is a shambles, and claiming moral victories from draws against the Bhoys hasn’t gone down too well within the hordes that follow Rangers home and away.
However, Rangers started well, and Celtic were a yard off the pace — like they were against Hibernian and definitely as they were against Zagreb, where they never even had a shot on target.
While Schmeichel saved well from Hamza Igamane he could do little to prevent Nedim Bajrami from powering Rangers ahead before the break.
But Celtic stormed back early in the second half as quick-fire goals from a deflected Greg Taylor effort and a solo strike from winger Daizen Maeda put them 2-1 ahead before the hour.
Mohammed Diomande’s turn and shot in the penalty area brought parity once again fifteen minutes later, teeing up a grandstand finale.
In typically crazy and chaotic style, the match ebbed from one penalty area to the other, but with four minutes remaining a fantastic break saw Celtic’s creative influence, Arne Engels, delightfully adjust his body to assist Nicolas Kuhn — 3-2 Celtic.
Yet Rangers remarkably recovered once more, responding within seconds as Danilo headed home from close range.
Extra time came and went, with Celtic the more likely team, but penalties
looked the most obvious outcome, and so it was.
The Great Dane Schmeichel would be the difference-maker, saving low to his left from Ridvan Yilmaz before Maeda confidently tucked home the winning penalty to send the East End of Hampden into glorious raptures.
But, with Celtic 11 points clear of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, what does this result tell us?
CHRISTMAS PAST
For Rangers, the spectre of previous Old Firm collapses past loomed large. The ghosts of “almost there” moments whispered across Hampden Park as they saw history repeating itself.
2024 Scottish Cup final: Adam Idah’s last-minute winner saw Celtic claim the prize.
2019 League Cup final: Rangers dominated on the day, but were undone by a single Celtic goal and profligate finishing.
Sunday felt all too familiar: Missed opportunities, lapses in concentration, and Celtic rising late like a recurring nightmare. It wasn’t just a defeat on penalties, it was a déjà vu moment as Rangers fans felt past scars being reopened.
Celtic’s ability to punish Rangers in key moments has haunted them before, and Maeda’s penalty winner was an echo of those old wounds.
CHRISTMAS PRESENT
In the here and now, the result exposes Rangers’ fragility under pressure and their inability to see games through against their arch rivals. Clement’s side showed promise, attacking quality and plenty of resilience, yet the lingering issues of Old Firm clashes remain:
Game Management: A recurring theme — whether from set pieces or open play, Rangers seem to wobble in high-stakes matches.
Celtic’s Mental Edge: Rodgers’ Celtic continue to prove they can find a way back, even when they’re second-best for spells. Rangers, meanwhile, let ghosts of self-doubt creep in.
Missed Opportunities: In front of goal, Rangers had their moments to kill the game. None more so than an inviting 4v1 at 1-0, but Celtic reminded everyone what clinical finishing looked like.
For Rangers, the present moment feels like purgatory — they are capable of taking Celtic to the brink, yet unable to put them away.
CHRISTMAS FUTURE
What does Sunday’s draw tell us about the path ahead?
Rangers are improving under Clement, no question, but the final result brings forward questions they must answer:
Can they finally end Celtic’s dominance?
Are they truly closing the gap, or does this result highlight a mental block that still favours Celtic?
Sunday was another haunting tale in the lore of Glasgow Derby heartbreak. A match remembered for missed chances and a Celtic comeback.
For Celtic, the future looks more assured. They know they can break Rangers mentally and Sunday proved that once more. Their resilience remains their trump card and, their consistency is the exclamation mark.
For Rangers, it is something of a Dickens’ tale:
The Past whispered of missed chances and late collapses.
The Present showed glimpses of growth but familiar failings.
The Future? The league is surely gone, but there is an Old Firm derby coming up on January 2nd, as these great old rivals kick-off 2025. Then, there is the possibility of a Scottish Cup clash, perhaps even another final. Should that be the case, then Rangers must decide whether this tale becomes redemption or yet another haunting chapter in their rivalry with Celtic.