Old Firm semi-final scheduling likely to favour Celtic as Rangers face prospect of congested April fixture list

Old Firm semi-finals in the Scottish Cup were once a rarity.

From 1888 – the first year of Celtic’s participation in the tournament – the Glasgow giants were only paired together at the last four stage five times in the subsequent 103 years, helping to prompt the cynical observation of ‘hot and cold balls’ being used to try and keep them apart until the final.

But Scottish Cup semi-finals between Rangers and Celtic then became more frequent with three of them in the 1990s.

There was another hiatus until they met in the penultimate round of the competition three years in a row from 2016 to 2018.

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his Celtic counterpart Ange Postecoglou will now face each other three more times before the end of the season. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

We are now set to witness the 12th such encounter in a series which Rangers lead with six wins (1905, 1960, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2016) to Celtic’s five (1892, 1900, 1925, 2017, 2018).

It’s reasonable to advance the notion that both Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Ange Postecoglou would have preferred to avoid each other in the semis, although understandably neither the Rangers or Celtic manager would say so publicly.

But if the fixture has greater complications attached to it for anyone, it is likely to be for Van Bronckhorst.

If Rangers complete their passage to the quarter-finals of the Europa League this week, carrying a 3-0 first leg advantage into the second leg of their last 16 tie against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia on Thursday night, they will face a testing fixture schedule in April.

James Tavernier and Leigh Griffiths in action during the last Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final in 2018 which saw Celtic beat Rangers 4-0 at Hampden. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group).

It would include five games in 15 days at the start of the month, beginning with the crucial Premiership meeting with Celtic at Ibrox on April 3.

They would then have the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on April 7, travel to St Mirren in the Premiership on April 10, play the second leg of the Europa League last eight showdown on April 14 before heading to Hampden for the semi-final against Celtic on April 17.

Preparation and recovery time would be at a premium for van Bronckhorst and his players, especially if they are away from home in their Europa League quarter-final second leg with travelling times factored in.

By contrast, Postecoglou will have a clear week to work with his squad from their home game against St Johnstone in the Premiership on April 9 until the semi-final eight days later.

Rangers players celebrate winning the penalty shoot-out against Celtic at Hampden in the 2016 Scottish Cup semi-final. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group).

Those are circumstances which would clearly appear to favour Celtic as they target a domestic treble in Postecoglou’s first season in charge.

But it presents a challenge to Rangers which van Bronckhorst must relish as he sets his own sights on a Premiership and Scottish Cup double while still fulfilling ambitions of extended progress in the Europa League where he is proving himself so tactically astute.

There is also, of course, the small matter of the final Old Firm clash of the season at Celtic Park which is likely to be pivotal in determining the outcome of the race for the Premiership crown.

With the SPFL normally keen to avoid the match being a formal title decider, it will probably take place in either the first or second round of post-split fixtures – on April 23/24 or April 30/May 1.

So there is the possibility of three clashes in 21 days between rivals who have no need of familiarity to breed contempt.

Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-finals

1892 - Celtic 5, Rangers 3

1900 - Celtic 4, Rangers 0 (replay, after 2-2 draw)

1905 - Rangers 2, Celtic 0

1925 - Celtic 5, Rangers 0

1960 - Rangers 4, Celtic 1 (replay, after 1-1 draw)

1992 - Rangers 1, Celtic 0

1996 - Rangers 2, Celtic 1

1998 - Rangers 2, Celtic 1

2016 - Rangers 2, Celtic 2 (Rangers won 5-4 on pens)

2017 - Celtic 2, Rangers 0

2018 - Celtic 4, Rangers 0

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