Celtic

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Celtic winger James Forrest tells BBC Scotland: "The last couple of weeks have been amazing. Once we won the league, we were looking forward to today. I don't think we were at our best but it shows how far we've come that we can dig in and win when we're not at our best.

"Rangers are a good team. Maybe the conditions, the pitch, maybe the occasion? I don't know. Sometimes that's football. We dug in, got a clean sheet and won, that's the most important thing.

"I've enjoyed every minute since March when I came back into the squad. I appreciate it even more being here. You see the fans and how together everyone is from the players and staff."

Celtic completed a league and cup double as Adam Idah's dramatic 90th-minute winner downed rivals Rangers and won the Scottish Cup.

After a nervy and tetchy game with precious few clear chances, Idah pounced from six yards when Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland parried Paulo Bernardo's fierce drive.

The goal sent the green and white half of Hampden Park wild and provided the perfect sucker punch to a Rangers side who had the better of the second half.

After an hour, half-time substitute Abdallah Sima thought he had given Rangers the lead after kneeing home on the goalline after James Tavernier's dangerous corner.

But the goal was overturned when referee Nick Walsh was sent to the monitor after VAR John Beaton spotted a push on Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart by Nicolas Raskin.

Were you at Hampden or following the match from home?

Either way, we want your views on the game and whether the club should sign Idah on a permanent deal – have your say here., external

Celtic hero Adam Idah revels in his last-minute cup final winner and discusses his future as prepares to return to parent club Norwich.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "Obviously for the spectators it was very tense. It's a game you don't need to be perfect, you just need to win and we did that by the end. We found an energy and a will and desire to keep pushing. Thankfully, we got a winner.

"I said to the players, when you're preparing for a final it's not about what you done the week before it's about the other 51 weeks. All the players, their mentality and professionalism has been unbelievable.

"It's been a fantastic season, to win a double. The problem is that when you win trophies, it becomes an expectation.

"That's not a problem. You can't take away what the Scottish Cup means for this club and our supporters.

"Rangers came in with a big motivation. We knew there would be challenges in the game. It's all about the defining moments and we were able to get the winning goal because of that."

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden Park

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This was a different derby to the previous four this season, but the outcome was no different.

Despite being short of their best, particularly in the second half, Celtic simply found a way when under pressure.

It is what they did to win the league. They finished a shaky campaign – by their own very high standards – strongly when they needed to, while Rangers toiled in sight of the line.

The usual match-winners such as Matt O’Riley, Callum McGregor, and Kyogo Furuhashi, were quieter at Hampden, but instead Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah grabbed their chance with the clock hitting 90 minutes.

You can be sure Rodgers – who remains unbeaten in the Scottish Cup and adds a third title – will be asking for funds to strengthen and to improve next season, especially in Europe.

But a league and cup double is a fantastic achievement amid some turbulent moments.

For Rangers, it was the same old story in one sense. They lost a derby match for the fourth time this season.

But in another, this was a much better performance. They had far more grit and steel in the middle of the pitch, helped by Mohamed Diomande producing a brilliant performance.

That helped shut Celtic down, but they never managed to put their rivals under enough pressure up the other end.

Clement has done some good work with this side, but it is back to the drawing board for him and the club in the summer as they look to stem the dominance from the other side of the city.

Captain Callum McGregor expresses his delight after winning his sixth Scottish Cup with a narrow and dramatic win over Rangers.

Celtic: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, O'Riley, Forrest Maeda, Kyogo.

Substitutes: Bain, Palma, Idah, Kuhn, Nawrocki, Tomoki, Bernardo, Ralston, Welsh.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Balogun, Davies, Ridvan, Diomande, Raskin, Cantwell, Sterling, Silva, Dessers.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Lundstram, Jack, Matondo Sima, Dowell, Wright, McCausland, McKinnon.

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Follow build-up and live coverage of the Scottish Cup final right here.

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It's the first Old Firm derby Scottish Cup final in 22 years - and we've got you covered right across the BBC.

You can watch every second of the action on BBC One Scotland, with build-up starting from 13:15 BST ahead of a 15:00 kick-off at Hampden.

BBC Radio Scotland has live radio commentary and plenty of build-up and reaction, with Sportsound's coverage starting from 13:30.

Our online live text on the BBC Sport website and app gets under way nice and early at 13:00 as we take you through the pre-match hype, the post-match celebrations and commiserations, as well as the main event.

And you can relive all the action with an hour-long highlights show on BBC One Scotland at 22:35.

The last time an Old Firm derby was contested in a Scottish Cup final, Martin O'Neill was in the Celtic dugout.

It was to be Rangers' day 22 years ago, as the Ibrox side prevailed in a 3-2 thriller to lift the trophy, with thanks to Peter Lovenkrands' 90th-minute winner.

Those days were a different time to now, but as O'Neill alludes to on a special edition of the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, there are some intriguing parallels as the fierce rivals get set to meet again in an end-of-season showdown.

Celtic were champions then and champions now. However, while Brendan Rodgers' side had to get themselves over the line late on, the 2002 champions strolled to glory.

"Winning the league was the big thing," O'Neill said. "In my five years there, we contested the cup final four times and won it three.

"To lose to Rangers in any games, even in a friendly game out in Australia, is condemning yourself to a couple of months of misery.

"But to lose a cup final is really, really poor - and in the manner we did.

"We had a big consolation in the sense that we had won the league."

Even a brief glance at the teamsheets on that day at Hampden Park shows how bursting with quality both sides were.

Henrik Larsson, Rab Douglas, Johan Mjallby, Chris Sutton, John Hartson, Neil Lennon, Paul Lambert and Stylian Petrov wore green and white hoops.

Man of the match Lovenkrands was in blue, alongside the likes of Fernando Ricksen, Barry Ferguson, Ronaldo de Boer, Stefan Klos, Neil McCann, Lorenzo Amorosu and Claudio Caniggia.

So, how big is the gap in quality 24 years later?

"I'm always fearful of drawing contrast of something that happened in the past because you think 'are you just glorifying your own team?'" O'Neill said.

"When I came up in the year 2000, the Rangers team was incredibly strong and remained incredibly strong for a number of years.

"There was more money around, the fact Rangers could spell £12m on Tore Andre Flo.

"The Rangers side of 20-odd years ago would really nail this current Rangers side. Some of the current players wouldn't even have been ball-boys in the side we played against."

Captain Callum McGregor is "proud" of what he's achieved at Celtic, but hungry to extend his trophy count with the club to 22 major honours in Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Rangers.

We asked how you're feeling as Celtic gear up for a Scottish Cup final showdown with Rangers having dominated the derbies this season.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Steve: Brendan Rodgers needs to stick with Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and James Forrest up top. We also need to hope that our big players turn up on the day, especially Reo Hatate, who can be a game changer. At the back my worry is Liam Scales, who has been found wanting, especially at set pieces. He has had a good season, so I’m hoping he finishes on a high with the cup heading to Celtic Park.

Christopher: A potential double awaits the champions on our greatest calendar date. In my opinion, if our four players turn up - McGregor, O'Riley, Hatate and Maeda - we will be too strong for Rangers again. Carter-Vickers and Kyogo will also play a massive part at some point. Let's continue to write our own story.

Dale: The only way I can see that Celtic can lose this game is inside their heads. In almost (if not all) areas of the pitch, they are superior, and if they play their own game, being brave on the ball without fear and playing like champions, they should win the cup.

Tom: Avoid complacency and approach the game in the same manner as this season's Old Firm meetings. Play our game and not theirs and we will win comfortably. The key battle is midfield and Forrest must start.

Anon: Celtic are mentally stronger than Rangers. They have the mentality to win and the stronger squad. This is their chance to bury Rangers.

Paul: If Celtic play their A-game on Saturday, it will be no contest. A Celtic team laced with skill and determination. We have the best midfield in Scotland with forwards who can score goal. Rangers are full of journeymen and free transfers.

David: The cup final has already been won by Celtic. Rangers can’t compete mentally or physically with Celtic as the momentum has been with us the past three months. Yes, Rangers at their best can beat anyone but it’s been a while since they have been there. For me, Celtic have it in the bag.

Sam: I'll put this bluntly: the defensive lapses will be the shortcomings of Celtic and the dynamic midfield and attack will be the strengths.

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Where is the biggest key battle on the park in Saturday's Old Firm Scottish Cup final?

According to former Celtic forward Scott McDonald, the "most fascinating" tussle in this derby is always contested between Daizen Maeda and Rangers captain James Tavernier.

Likely to face off on the same flank, the pair have enjoyed some intriguing encounters over the past few years.

"The biggest key battle as always is Maeda versus Tavernier," the ex-Australia international told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It's always the most fascinating one out there because they sort of nullify each other throughout the game."

The most notable moment between Maeda and Tavernier this season came in April's wild 3-3 draw at Ibrox.

Within the opening minute, the Rangers right-back was caught out by the Japan forward's blistering pace and had the ball pinched, allowing Celtic to take an incredibly early lead.

"Who's going to get the better of one another usually has a telling on where the game is going to go," McDonald added.

"I always love seeing that one and it'll be interesting to see how that tussle ends up once again."

Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew, meanwhile, says Maeda's off-the-ball work is priceless for Brendan Rodgers' side.

“Celtic know what Maeda does," Mulgrew told BBC Scotland. "He tracks back with Tavernier, he presses well.

"Celtic don’t allow Tavernier to get up the pitch as he usually does. I don’t think Celtic will target that area, I just think they’ll play their game-plan.”

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Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson insists there isn't much between the Ibrox side and their city rivals despite Celtic's Old Firm dominance this term.

The sides meet for the fifth time this season in Saturday's Scottish Cup final, with Celtic having won three and drawn one of the previous four encounters.

But Thomson expects a game of fine margins, with "form and favouritism" out the window in the Hampden showdown.

"I think Celtic have rightly deserved to win the league. They've been the most consistent team," the ex-Scotland international told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"But I think even if there's a bigger gap and one team's more dominant, you can be miles in front and these games are still really difficult.

"Both teams are fighting for doubles. I don't think there's loads between them. I think if the top players in either team turn up on the day, it can be the difference.

"It'll be an edgy affair. I can see it being quite a tight game, but listen, there's no doubt Celtic are favourites.

"They've been the best team over the course. Rangers have struggled to get on top of them, butthe form and favouritism kind of goes out the window for these games.

"It's who turns up on the day, might be cliche, but they're such difficult games to win and when you do get your nose in front, there are always quite precious moments in these games."

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Celtic will travel to Somerset Park for the first time in 25 years to take on former captain Scott Brown's Ayr United in a pre-season friendly.

The Premiership champions head to Ayrshire on 5 July to mark the second tier side's opening of a new stand.

Celtic last visited Somerset on 13 October 1999 in the third round of a successful League Cup campaign.

Goals from Mark Viduka, Regi Blinker, Johan Mjallby and Bobby Petta saw off the Honest Men as John Barnes' side progressed to the next stage, before the manager was sacked in February and replaced by Kenny Dalglish on a caretaker basis.