Unique Old Firm derby as Rangers meet Celtic for 400th time
By Mike Collett
LONDON (Reuters) - Celtic and Rangers have played each other 399 times in competitive matches but their 400th Old Firm duel in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on Sunday will have a special place in their shared history no matter the outcome.
For the first time since they first met in 1890, the two clubs, who have won 99 Scottish titles between them, are not meeting as equals separated by a few points in the same division.
Instead, Premiership leaders Celtic go into the first Old Firm derby for almost three years as overwhelming favourites, while Rangers, battling their way back from meltdown in the Championship (second tier), are clear underdogs.
The two biggest clubs in Scotland, who used to meet four or more times a season, are re-engaging for the first time since Rangers were demoted to the bottom tier following their financial collapse in 2012.
Celtic's Norwegian manager Ronny Deila says the match at neutral Hampden Park will be one of the biggest of his life.
"It's a first meeting with Rangers for me," he told BBC Scotland. "I've played in big games and finals before but this is going to be a very big one.
"You can feel the atmosphere in the city. Right now it feels like the most important thing in the world.
"There is a lot of emotion. It means a lot to people, the whole city. Football needs derbies like that."
Rangers manager Kenny McDowall added: "We’ve waited nearly three years for an Old Firm game so never mind the eyes of the world being on us, I expect the people in Pluto will be watching it. Seriously, the most important thing is the game and that it’s a good spectacle."
Police are taking precautions to stop any crowd disorder between the two fiercely partisan sets of supporters.
"I just hope the football comes out on top and there’s nothing on the outside that tarnishes it,", added McDowall.
"It’s been a long time coming and we need to make sure football is the winner."
Rangers, once home to players like Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, were in the UEFA Cup final seven years ago. But spending more on wages than they could afford in order to rival Celtic and ensure qualification for the lucrative Champions League led to their downfall.
Their demise was sealed with spiralling debts, a tax battle and a series of ownership tussles.
Now reformed and rising up the leagues, things off the pitch remain dire due to high costs, more overspend and smaller crowds than they would get in the Premiership.
Riddled with boardroom infighting, various backers have failed to seal rescue deals, including U.S. financier Robert Sarver who saw two takeover moves rebuffed this year.
(Additional reporting by Neil Maidment, editing by Alan Baldwin)