Rangers

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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."

Former midfielder Kevin Thomson, who won the 2008 Scottish Cup amid five trophies with Rangers, insists Philippe Clement's side cannot afford a red card in Saturday's final against Celtic after John Lundstram "threw the team under the bus" with his first-half dismissal in this month's league defeat at Parkhead.

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Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers opens up to BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English about his debut season at Ibrox as he prepares for Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Celtic.

Listen to the full interview on the Scottish football podcast

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers must do their "talking on the pitch" in Saturday's Scottish Cup final with Celtic, says captain James Tavernier.

The Ibrox side have lost three and drawn the other of their Premiership meetings with league winners Celtic this season and have not beaten their Old Firm rivals in more than a year.

"We've obviously fallen short a few times in games," said Tavernier, 32.

"We obviously need that extra 10-15% management during the games and the key thing is taking our moments.

"If we take our moments, we know it will be a different game. We've got to do the talking on the pitch.

"It's obviously important to win the game. If it's 90 minutes, 120 minutes or penalties, we're all really prepared."

Manager Philippe Clement believes Rangers are at the end of a cycle, with changes expected this summer.

"There's always going to be changes," Tavernier said. "Football, there's always moving parts and people come and go.

"It's about finishing the season off well and then putting ourselves in a position where we come back stronger and fitter, have a proper pre-season under the gaffer and push on from there."

Philippe Clement says Ridvan Yilmaz broke down in tears after adding to his Hampden injury crisis that could see the Rangers manager without up to nine first-team players for the Scottish Cup final. (The Herald)

Aberdeen have Robby McCrorie - who could leave Rangers with Liam Kelly poised to return - and Brentford's Hakon Valdimarsson on their list of summer goalkeeping targets. (Daily Record)

Read the rest of Friday's gossip.

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement says he will not let fan opinion dictate his team selection for Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Celtic.

John Lundstram scored an own goal and was sent off in the last meeting of the sides, where Celtic's 2-1 win put them on the verge of the Premiership title.

Fans expressed their frustrations at Lundstram's performance, but Clement insists that will not come into his thinking.

"I am never going to make decisions on what fans are thinking because that is emotion," the Belgian said, when asked about potentially bringing the midfielder back into the side.

"They don’t see training, they don’t see the team working, they don’t even know the players, how they are or how they are in the dressing room.

"I don’t need to answer about whether I need to start with him or not.

"It is a decision that I make with my staff with what I see in training and what I’ve seen in the last couple of months in the games."

Rangers manager Phillipe Clement has called on his players to start Saturday's Scottish Cup final strongly after coming unstuck in Old Firm derbies this term.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been talking to the media before Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Celtic.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• For the first time this season, Clement declined to give any team news. He did reveal he’s "prepared to take some risks", as this is the last game of the season, with time for players to recover over the summer.

• Clement urged his players "to give everything" at the national stadium and to "go hard with all the energy" they have left.

• The Belgian says his side have to "grab the big moments" and have a "much better start" than previous matches with Celtic if they want to win their second domestic trophy of the season.

• He believes all three of the derbies he’s been involved in have been "close" and Rangers didn’t help themselves by getting a player sent off in two of them.

• Clement says he’s sensed "a lot of energy in the team" this week as they look to end the season in a good way. He feels "good steps" have been made as Rangers looks to "build for next season".

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Ross McCausland says he never anticipated the amount of game time he's had at Rangers this season.

The 21-year-old has made 37 first-team appearances during a breakout season, scoring three goals and contributing a further five assists.

"It's been mental in terms of the games I've played in and the minutes I've got," the winger told RangersTV, external.

"I've played in big games as well so it's something I'll look back on at the end of the season and enjoy.

"Any time I walk out onto the pitch with a Rangers kit on it's a proud moment for me. To go on from that St Mirren game and play as many games as I have, it's amazing."

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Philippe Clement's side have won four games to reach Saturday's Scottish Cup final, setting up a meeting with Glasgow rivals Celtic.

Here's how they made it to Hampden:

Dumbarton 1-4 Rangers:

In horrible conditions, goals from John Lundstram, Cyriel Dessers, James Tavernier and Scott Wright secured victory over League 2 Dumbarton and safe passage into the fifth round.

Rangers 2-0 Ayr United:

Borna Barisic's early goal and Fabio Silva's late strike saw off Scott Brown's Ayr United and set up a quarter-final tie against Hibernian at Easter Road.

Hibernian 0-2 Rangers:

In an action-packed contest in the capital, Lundstram put Rangers in front after Tavernier's penalty was saved.

Jordan Obita and Nathan Moriah-Welsh were both then sent off for Hibs, before Silva wrapped up the win for Rangers.

Rangers 2-0 Hearts:

A Dessers double downed Hearts and secured Rangers' place in the final, where they will be looking to complete a domestic cup double, having won the Scottish League Cup earlier this season.

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Brazilian left-back Jefte, the 21-year-old whom Rangers agreed to buy from Fluminense in January while he was on loan to Apoel Nicosia, is on his way to complete medical tests and join the Ibrox club. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Jefte's arrival could be quickly followed by Liam Kelly's return to Rangers, with the goalkeeper out of contract at Motherwell. (Sun), external

Jose Cordoba wants a move to Norwich City instead of Rangers despite the 22-year-old centre-half having agreed a preliminary deal to join the Ibrox club from Levski Sofia. (Gong.bg), external

Oscar Cortes says he is talking to his agents, current club Lens and Rangers about his future after the 20-year-old winger's loan at Ibrox was cut short by injury but stresses he has not given up on his dream of playing for Real Madrid one day. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

We want to know how you're feeling about Saturday's Scottish Cup final.

Are you confident Rangers can end their poor recent run against Celtic?

Where will the game be won and lost? And who might be the key players for Philippe Clement's side?

Send us your thoughts here, external.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

A lot has been made of this first Scottish Cup final between Glasgow’s big two in over 20 years.

There’s one fact that stands out, to me, above all others. That 2002 showpiece – the ‘Lovenkrands final' due to the Danish forward’s last-gasp winner for Rangers – is the last Scottish Cup final Celtic lost. A remarkable record.

In the intervening 22 years, Celtic have been in 10 finals and won the lot. In that same timeframe Rangers have appeared in just four, winning three.

Which speaks to two things: the size of the task facing Philippe Clement and his team, and the importance of halting a sequence of derby results that must send a shudder down the spine of even the most optimistic Rangers supporter.

No Rangers team has celebrated a meaningful victory over their city rivals in over two years. You have to go back to the Scottish Cup semi-finals in April 2022 and the extra-time win Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side secured at Hampden.

The sides have met a dozen times since. Yes, Rangers did record a 3-0 win at Ibrox under Michael Beale but the title had already been won and Celtic rested players ahead of the Scottish Cup final with Inverness.

Beale’s inability to beat Celtic when it mattered cost him his job. The same fate could befall his successor if he’s not careful.

In the four derbies this season, Rangers are yet to record a win. Clement has been in charge for three of them. If he goes another without winning this weekend, there is a danger that much of the goodwill and hope he’s fostered among the fanbase could evaporate.

Such is the huge difference between a Rangers cup double and Celtic tucking away all but the league trophy in the Parkhead boardroom.

We’re not just talking about the trophy count. This final match of the season for Scotland’s big two will shape much of their respective summers. Should Celtic win, their ability to build from a position of incredible strength increases.

Conversely, should Rangers break the hoodoo Celtic currently hold over them, suddenly their season is a success.

A League and Scottish Cup double from the rubble of the Beale era? Not a bad seven months’ work from Clement, right? Add to that a much more respectable title challenge that kept Celtic honest until the penultimate game of the season.

Rangers would finally land a glove on their nemesis and take a trophy from them in the process. The kind of psychological scalp that’s been sorely missing for the men in blue since the Covid season, when they looked just as unbeatable in the derbies as Celtic have done lately.

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Rangers duo John Souttar and Ryan Jack have been named in Steve Clarke’s provisional 28-man Scotland squad for Euro 2024.

Midfielder Jack has 18 caps but has struggled for minutes at club level this season due to injuries. His last Scotland appearance came in the 3-3 qualifying draw against Norway in November 2023.

The squad will be cut to 26 players before the tournament itself, where Scotland take on Germany (14 June), Switzerland (19 June) and Hungary (23 June) in Group A.

Motherwell and Scotland goalkeeper Liam Kelly is in talks over a return to first club Rangers as a free agent. (Scottish Sun), external

Fluminese left-back Jefte is set to sign for Rangers in July, according to a report in Brazil. (Daily Record), external

New boss Neil Lennon insists he has no plans to allow striker Albion Rrahmani to leave Rapid Bucharest amid interest from Rangers. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Wednesday's Scottish gossip.