Celtic v Rangers late team news, predicted XIs: Both teams hit by blows as huge Kyogo Furuhashi hint dropped

Celtic take on Rangers in the second Scottish Cup semi-final of the weekend at Hampden.

Following Hearts’ 2-1 win over Edinburgh rivals Hibs on Saturday, one of the Old Firm will join the Jambos next month for the showpiece final back at the national stadium.

Celtic defeated Rangers at Ibrox earlier this month in the cinch Premiership, but while Celtic look on course to reclaim the league title, Rangers are in excellent form in Europe, having reached the last four of the Europa League.

Celtic team news

Celtic and Rangers meet at Hampden this afternoon for a place in the Scottish Cup final.

Both teams come into this match with concerns at the top end of the pitch. Celtic are without their in-form striker Giorgios Giakoumakis, who picked up an injury in last weekend’s league rout of St Johnstone. While not believed to be serious, his muscle complaint rules him out of this fixture.

His absence means that Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is likely to bring Japanese forward Kyogo Furuhashi back into the starting XI. The 27-year-old has not played from the beginning since Boxing Day, but Postecoglou hinted that he is ready to lead the line at Hampden after fully recovering from a hamstring injury.

Celtic’s only other doubt is centre-half Stephen Welsh, with midfielder David Turnbull passed fit after receiving a knock last week.

Rangers team news

Rangers’ striking issues are perhaps more acute, with talismanic forward Alfredo Morelos sidelined for the rest of the season. The Colombian had thigh surgery earlier this month and won’t be back until the summer.

It means that Kemar Roofe is set to lead the line again, with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst unlikely to make too many changes despite his team needing extra time on Thursday to overcome Braga in the Europa League quarter-finals. Fatigue could be an issue.

Defender Filip Helander is out for the season due to a foot problem, while long-term injury victim Ianis Hagi is continuing to recover from a knee issue.

Probable line-ups

Celtic (4-3-3): Hart; Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor; Hatate, Rogic, C McGregor; Jota, Furuhashi, Maeda.

Rangers (4-2-3-1): A McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic; Jack, Lundstram; Ramsey, Aribo, Kent; Roofe.

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