Rangers vs Celtic: Stream details, team news, managers’ thoughts & highlights details for Viaplay Cup Final

Everything you need to know to tune into the Scottish League Cup final between Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park.
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Ange Postecoglou and Michael Beale will go head-to-head at Hampden Park as Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers bid to clinch the first trophy up for grabs this season in Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final.

The Old Firm giants successfully navigated their way through semi-final ties against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen to book a return trip to the national stadium for the mouthwatering blockbuster showdown this weekend.

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Holders Celtic defeated Hibernian 2-1 to lift the silverware last term and are eyeing back-to-back triumphs in the competition, while the Light Blues are looking to take the trophy back to the Ibrox trophy cabinet for the first time in 12 years.

Reo Hatate of Celtic vies with Malik Tillman of Rangers during an Old Firm clash on January 2Reo Hatate of Celtic vies with Malik Tillman of Rangers during an Old Firm clash on January 2
Reo Hatate of Celtic vies with Malik Tillman of Rangers during an Old Firm clash on January 2

Both teams head into the fixture in outstanding form with Premiership leaders Celtic recording 13 victories and one draw from their previous 14 games across all three domestic competitions. Across the city, Michael Beale remains unbeaten as manager since taking over the reins from Giovanni van Bronckhorst at the end of November, winning 14 matches and draw one (2-2 draw vs Celtic at Ibrox on January 2) but they have been unable to put a dent in the Hoops’ commanding nine-point lead at the summit.

Something has to give in Mount Florida on Sunday....

We’ve gathered all the information you need on the match and how to tune in if you won’t be at Hampden Park...

Where is the game taking place & what time does the match kick-off?

Who: Rangers vs Celtic (Viaplay Cup Final)

Where: Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow

When: Sunday, February 26th – kick-off 3.00pm (UK time)

Odds: Rangers 9/5 | Draw 12/5 | Celtic 23/20 (*Odds from Virginbet.com correct at time of writing*)

How to watch on TV – Is there a live stream?

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Yes, the game will be broadcast live on Viaplay Sports 1 (previously Premier Sports). Coverage begins at 2pm - one hour before kick-off. Viaplay can be viewed on Sky, Virgin Media and if you have an Amazon Prime stick at a price of £14.99 a month. Alternatively, you can sign up HERE.

BBC Radio Scotland will provide live coverage on on 92 - 95 FM and 810 MW. Highlights will also pop up on Sky Sports News throughout the evening and following morning. Fans can also catch highlights on each of the clubs’ official YouTube channels.

There is no pay-per-view option available.

Who are the match officials?

What’s the latest team news?

Rangers attacker Malik Tillman is reportedly winning his fitness battle after the American re-joined his team mates in training earlier this week. His chances of featuring look increasingly likely, but he could be restricted to a place on the bench.

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Midfielders John Lundstram and Ryan Jack have both been struggling with ankle and calf injuries respectively and are rated as major doubts. The former was spotted wearing a protective boot last week but is believed to have returned to light training.

Injury plagued Kemar Roofe is another uncertainty as the Jamaican frontman picked up a fresh fitness setback, while John Souttar, Steven Davis, Filip Helander, Ridvan Yilmaz, Scott Arfield and Tom Lawrence are certain to miss out.

Celtic midfield pair David Turnbull and Aaron Mooy are expected to rejoin training and be passed fit in time for Sunday’s match. Turnbull sustained a knock against St Mirren in the previous round of the competition, while Mooy “pulled up a bit sore” at the club’s Lennoxtown base last Friday.

Back-up goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist remains sidelined with a calf issue, while Stephen Welsh is likely to sit out. As things stand, there are no major injury problems for Ange Postecoglou.

What have both managers’ said?

Michael Beale:

Michael Beale will lead Rangers out against Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Michael Beale will lead Rangers out against Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Michael Beale will lead Rangers out against Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
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Michael Beale is aiming to secure his first trophy as Rangers manager and reckons his side are better equipped to the way he wants to play since the the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on January 2. The Englishman wants his players to draw on their experience of playing in recent cup finals and deliver the League Cup to Ibrox for the first time since 2011.

He stated: “It is a huge game for our football club and everyone involved, the fans, the players, myself and my staff, it is a huge privilege to be involved in this game. A rivarly like this that is world renowned, and I believe is the biggest rivarly in the world, and we are privileged as a country to have it here.

“I think it is a fantastic final for the neutral, I don’t remember a game when the two teams went into in such fine form as well, I am really looking forward to it, I can’t wait for Sunday to finally arrive and all the preparations to be out the way. We are in a better position than we were after this weekend we have a lot to regardless of the outcome, this is a one off game, a cup final between two rivalries and I think both teams will go head to head.

“It is about focusing on this game and making sure we do ourselves justice and we come away in a good place, a good place for us would be obviously winning the trophy. There is a lot of respect between the two sets of players and the management teams, it is two very good teams going head to head, both teams have got a lot of experience in these types of games.

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“If I look at my own squad, it wasn’t so long ago we were playing a European final and very quickly a Scottish Cup final, and we have played here last month in a semi-final. In that sense we are well versed in this type of game and the build-up of the week, and it is about just going to perform on the day.”

Ange Postecoglou:

Celtic's Ange Postecoglou  believes his team will be best served by being made fully aware of what is at stake at Hampden on Sunday. The promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup final against Rangers, coverage starting at 2pm on Sunday.  Viaplay is available to stream from viaplay.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Celtic's Ange Postecoglou  believes his team will be best served by being made fully aware of what is at stake at Hampden on Sunday. The promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup final against Rangers, coverage starting at 2pm on Sunday.  Viaplay is available to stream from viaplay.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Celtic's Ange Postecoglou believes his team will be best served by being made fully aware of what is at stake at Hampden on Sunday. The promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup final against Rangers, coverage starting at 2pm on Sunday. Viaplay is available to stream from viaplay.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The League Cup provided Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou with his first trophy since taking charge of the club last season and the Hoops have been in impressive form throughout this campaign. The Australian admits confidence is high within his squad as they aim to continue that run with a trophy at Hampden.

He said: “I’m looking forward to it. It’s a cup final, there’s a trophy on the line. It’s one of three on offer domestically so you want to try and make sure you’re ready for the day, perform well and hopefully get the job done.

“In terms of the spectacle, you just don’t know. It’s a cup final, a one-off game and you just don’t know how they’re going to do. They’re decided on moments, and sometimes it’s pretty tight or sometimes one team is dominant. You just don’t know. What you do know is that it’s a game of great consequence.

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“Both teams will be up for it. There will be a fantastic atmosphere and I expect the tempo and intensity to be pretty high when the game starts, and then you’ve just got to wait to see how it all unfolds. We certainly feel like, since the break, we’ve been stronger. We had a strong first half of the year, to be fair, but I think we’ve consistently improved over recent weeks.

“Part of that is that we’ve just got a stronger squad. We added some players in January who’ve helped us, not just in terms of the matches but in terms of training - the level of quality at training has been raised. We haven’t had a midweek game for two or three weeks now which I think has helped us as well, and I just think our performances have got stronger, probably since the mid-season break.

“All we can do is prepare well and try and be ready for a big game on Sunday, and try and win a trophy. Beyond that, come Monday, whatever happens we’ll have preparation for another game and that’s going to be our focus.”

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