Celtic

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Nicolas Kuhn was central to Celtic's League Cup triumph.

His 87th-minute strike in the final meant the winger scored in every round of the competition.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "It was a great spectacle for the neutral watching.

"You don't expect things to go all your way, we showed lots of heart, Rangers played well in the first half.

"Second half we came out and were better, get in front and then concede late on but then you have to show that heart, desire and calmness for the penalties.

"I'm just so happy for everyone. It was one of those classic finals.

"A Celtic v Rangers final is different. We had to dig deep, we had to grind, they had spells, we had spells but it's important you come out a winner. That's what finals are all about.

"It was a case of reinforcing that we were poor in our ball possession, we were missing passes.

"It was just a case of focusing on what we're good at. It was a case of getting in front.

"Extra-time is really all about who wants it most."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Winning is a habit and Celtic maintained that by the thinnest of margins.

Rodgers' side came into this utterly dominant domestically and, for many in their support, there would be only one outcome here.

The idea this would be a formality quickly evaporated, though. More so after they fell behind.

It became a slug-fest in which will to win may have been the most important characteristic. Celtic have that, to go with their ability.

Big players win big matches and Celtic have an abundance of them, too. Maeda has tormented Rangers in the past but his influence was muted until his big moment.

Kuhn seized on his as well and must have thought he'd delivered the ultimate landmark moment in a season littered with them. Not today.

Celtic were pushed and pushed and pushed. They were never allowed to settle into their rhythm. Too often they were hurried into errors and that cost them the opener.

Fortune favoured them with Taylor's deflected leveller but champions take charge and that's what Celtic did when Rangers were rocked.

They found a way and that's all that matters. Far, far from their best, but they got the job done to inflict more anguish on their old foes.

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Celtic captain Callum McGregor tells Premier Sports: "We played nowhere near the level [we should].

"It's a cup final and there's nerves that play a part but we didn't really start playing until 10-15 minutes into the second half.

"It was one of those cup ties where anything could happen.

"Credit to the players they showed so much quality under immense pressure.

"[I feel] unbelievable pride. It was a tough game, relieved to come through it.

"When you come here it's about winning, when you're playing against your biggest rivals the pressure is much bigger."

Sportscene's Steven Thompson, James McFadden and Neil McCann preview Sunday's Premier Sports Cup final between Celtic and holders Rangers.

Adam Idah, 23, is ready to make an impact as a Celtic substitute against Rangers again if not selected from the start, having scored May's Scottish Cup final winner off the bench. (Sun), external

Celtic's Idah says he wanted to come off 10 minutes into his first meeting with Rangers as he "couldn't breathe". (Record), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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• Current holders Rangers have won the League Cup a record 28 times; Celtic are the next most successful with 21 wins.

• This weekend will be the 17th Old Firm final in the League Cup. Rangers edge the head-to-head with nine wins to Celtic's seven, although the Parkhead side triumphed 2-1 in the most recent meeting (2022-23).

• Celtic have beaten Hibs, Falkirk and Aberdeen on their route to this season's final, scoring 14 goals and conceding three.

• Rangers have netted seven goals and conceded one on their path to the final, defeating St Johnstone, Dundee and Motherwell.

• Daizen Maeda (five goals) is Celtic's top scorer in the competition this season; Cyriel Dessers tops the Rangers goal charts with four.

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Celtic captain Callum McGregor says there is "a little more" to play for in Sunday's League Cup final as it is the one trophy that "slipped away" last season.

Rangers beat Aberdeen 1-0 in last season's final, with Celtic knocked out in the last 16 by Kilmarnock.

Brendan Rodgers' side are unbeaten domestically this campaign and will be favourites to beat a Rangers side they lead by 11 points in the Premiership.

For McGregor though, the full focus is on making it another happy Hampden outing.

"Of course, the ones that slip away from you are the ones that you remember," said McGregor.

"Every tournament that we play in, we want to win it, we want to do the best we can and obviously this is the first one that's up for grabs, so our approach doesn't change.

"Maybe a little bit more because we didn't win it last year, but the expectation is to win and the players know that. We have to give everything we can to make sure it's a positive afternoon.

"First one of the season is always big, can set your season up as well.

"We know how big a game it is, the players know, they understand what the expectation is. We have to do everything possible to make sure we win the game."

Celtic's three-year extension to their arrangement with shirt sponsor Dafabet will stretch the relationship to 12 years - the longest in the club's history. (Glasgow Times), external

Internacional remain eager to formalise 24-year-old let-back Alexandro Bernabei's loan from Celtic into a permanent deal. (National - subscription), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Paulo Bernardo is wary of Rangers' improved form and insists Celtic's recent derby dominance will count for nothing on Sunday.

Celtic eased to a 3-0 league victory in this season's sole previous meeting and their only defeat in 13 against Rangers came when the 2022-23 title had already been secured.

As he looked ahead to Sunday's League Cup final at Hampden, Portuguese midfielder Bernardo said: "We were dominating these games before but it's another one. I think they are better now so it will be very difficult for us.

"It will be very difficult for them. I think it will be a very good football game to watch and to play, but it's our mentality. Every game is a game.

"They are in a good moment right now. So are we. So we need to do our best and play our game.

"That's in the past. We can only focus on the present and be in this game. The past is the past."

Bernardo made a big impact in Celtic's Scottish Cup final win over Rangers in May, driving forward and striking a swerving shot that led to Adam Idah hitting a late winner on the rebound.

The Portugal Under-21 international hopes to feature on Sunday after an impressive start to the season.

"Everyone wants to play finals and enjoy the moment," he said.

"I did last time, we won and enjoyed it a lot. Last season I won two titles, the first in my career, so it was a lot of good memories. We want to do the same."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Brendan Rodgers insists Rangers' limited recovery time is not an advantage for Celtic in Sunday's League Cup final.

Philippe Clement's side drew 1-1 with Tottenham in Thursday night's Europa League game at Ibrox, while Celtic played out a Champions League stalemate at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

"We've played with very limited time to recover ourselves and played very good games so it doesn't really come into it," Celtic boss Rodgers said.

"We've had an extra couple of days but it's a final and every team arrives in the final."

Rodgers has lost just one of 19 derby meetings with Rangers, winning 15, across his two spells at the Celtic helm.

"I know what it means to people, this game, and we have a number of these [derby] games throughout the season," he added.

"You never get tired or bored of them. It's such an iconic fixture throughout the world so to have the possibility to have so many in the season is amazing.

"This is what we're built for, the tougher the challenge, that's what we relish.

"It's not any other game, it's an iconic game for everyone to be involved in.

"That's not lost on me but from a coaching perspective it's about what allows us to perform and for us that's to stay calm, look at our tactics in the game and how we pitch that to the players so they can go and play."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Sunday's League Cup final against Rangers.

Here are the main points:

• The squad is healthy, Rodgers expects Alistair Johnston to be okay and is hoping everyone will be fit and available for the weekend.

• He knows Sunday's final is a "special" occasion but stresses that for Celtic it's "the next game and the next game we want to win".

• The Celtic manager thinks picking up the first trophy of the season would be "a great way to have something tangible" to show for their impressive start.

• After an early League Cup exit last term, Rodgers' side are "very hungry" to lift the trophy on Sunday.

• On potentially picking up his 10th trophy as Celtic manager, Rodgers says the silverware tally "doesn't count for much", adding: "Just because you've won doesn't mean you can turn up and not prepare".

• On Philippe Clement saying Celtic are financially in a different league to Rangers, Rodgers says: "This is a club that's been organically grown, we haven't been handed money. The club is in a brilliant position but it's all been earned."

• On Rangers' limited recovery time before Sunday, the Northern Irishman insists Celtic have been in the same position before and played "very good games". He adds that "every team arrives in the final" no matter how much time they've had to prepare.

• On the chance to overtake Rangers' trophy total of 118, Rodgers says that doesn't come into his thinking and he's just focused on winning as much silverware as they can.

• "It's not like any other game", Rodgers knows how important Sunday's cup final is to supporters and understands the "iconic" nature of a Celtic v Rangers match - "this is what we're built for, the tougher the challenge that's what we relish."

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Alistair Johnston has declared himself fit for the League Cup final after being forced off with a hip flexor injury in the midweek Champions League draw at Dinamo Zagreb.

The Canada right-back was not pictured during Celtic's training session on Friday morning, but was out on the pitch later and felt fit enough to prepare for Sunday's clash with Rangers.

Manager Brendan Rodgers said: "The squad is healthy. We expect Ali to be OK. He was out on the pitches this afternoon so it should be, hopefully, everyone fit and available.

"It was just an extra bit of recovery for him, really. Naturally, he's been an outstanding player for us over the course of his time here and in particular this season, he's been instrumental in our work.

"Speaking to him earlier out on the pitch, he was fine, so we expect him to be OK."

Former Celtic midfielder Barry Robson says midfield will be the key battleground in Sunday's League Cup final against Rangers.

For more cup final build-up, listen to the BBC's Scottish football podcast

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Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel says the squad must leave the emotion of the League Cup final on Sunday to the fans and play with "precision" as they look to lift the first trophy of the season.

Currently unbeaten in domestic action this season, Brendan Rodgers' side head into the final after a 0-0 draw in the Champions League away to Dinamo Zagreb, and Schmeichel wants them to play with similar defensive ruthlessness.

The 38-year-old said: "In these types of games it's important for us as players to take the emotion out of the game, to play the game not the occasion.

"Play it with precision and make sure we hit the standards that we've set and we keep being ambitious and keep pushing forward.

"I think when you join a club like Celtic, the size of the club, everywhere you go, you could see on Tuesday night [in Zagreb] how many fans that travel, that's not normal.

"I've played in a lot of clubs, that's not normal that you have that amount of support everywhere you go."

The Denmark international is aiming to win his first Celtic silverware since arriving n the summer.

He says the expectancy of fans, coupled with the club's history, makes it abundantly clear to the players what is expected of them.

"I think the standards are set, at a club like Celtic, you walk in the training ground, you walk in the stadium, it's just steeped in history," he added.

"You look around, every single photo on the wall is of some kind of legend lifting a trophy, so you know what's expected."

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, 38, says his future at the club beyond this season is taking a back seat to the club's pursuit of success. (Sun), external

On loan Celtic forward Johnny Kenny, 21, scored twice as Shamrock Rovers beat Borac Banja Luka 3-0 to seal progress in the Conference League. (Scotsman - subscription), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

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Celtic are unbeaten in six Old Firm derbies, winning the past three.

Their only defeat in 13 meetings with Rangers came in a 'meaningless' game in May 2023 when the title was already won.

So does it all point to Brendan Rodgers' side wrenching the League Cup from their rivals' grasp at Hampden on Sunday?

Former Celtic defender Alan Stubbs believes so.

"There's no bias to this, but I can only see in terms of the form that Celtic are in, a Celtic victory," Stubbs told BBC Scotland.

"I think Rangers will be competitive, but Celtic's quality will be too much for them. I think we've already seen it - Rangers have not really got any consistency to their performances.

"They're still finding what's the right way, the manager's still finding what players he wants to go to.

"I actually think Rangers as a club are trying to find out what's the right direction, whereas Celtic are just steamrolling ahead and they've got far too much.

"Aberdeen have done very well this season, but in terms of the Old Firm, the gap between the two of them, I can only see one outcome really.

"I just think Celtic will be too strong and if they score early, then it could be by a couple."

Listen to Stubbs on the Sacked in the Morning Podcast on Wednesday, 18 December

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"Humble" Callum McGregor is paying no heed to personal success at Celtic as the captain targets his 23rd domestic honour in Sunday's League Cup final against Rangers.

McGregor is currently the fourth most decorated player in Celtic's history, behind Bobby Lennox (25 trophies), James Forrest (24) and Billy McNeill (23).

"I think of course you're aware of everything that's there but you don't get to where you've got to by chasing the numbers and chasing that type of status or whatever," said the 31-year-old midfielder.

"I'm humble enough to know that I'm very lucky to play at this club and to have the career I've had. I've done that by hard work and trying to be the best I can every single day.

"Nothing changes for me, every day I come in I try and do my best, I try and help the team, I try and get better as a player. I just want to deliver as much success as I can.

"The hunger's still there and at this club you have to keep proving yourself time and again, so it doesn't matter how many you've won, the next one's the most important."

McGregor says the excitement of playing in finals at Hampden hasn't waned over the years.

"Yeah [it's still there, that excitement], because every one you have to win, you have to be successful. So, that gives you the pressure and keeps you sharp between the years," he added.

Celtic will reportedly welcome Newcastle United in a July friendly. (Sun), external

Reaching 100 Celtic European games is "obviously special", says captain Callum McGregor, 31. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip