rangers vs celtic arrives at an inflection point as the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox brings fresh team news: Rangers make two changes while Celtic name five alterations, and the sides meet for the second time in the space of a week following a 2-2 draw last Sunday.
What Does Rangers Vs Celtic Team News Reveal?
Team sheets show clear selection decisions. Rangers have made two changes: Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande come into the XI, which means John Souttar and Tochi Chukwuani drop to the bench. Jack Butland will wear the captain’s armband. Manager Danny Rohl has opted to continue with the front pairing of Ryan Naderi and Youssef Chermiti.
| Rangers starting XI | Celtic starting XI |
|---|---|
| Butland | Sinisalo |
| Sterling | Araujo |
| Djiga | Arthur |
| Fernandez | Trusty |
| Rommens | Scales |
| Raskin | Hatate |
| Diomande | McCowan |
| Skov Olsen | Nygren |
| Moore | Yang |
| Naderi | Tounekti |
| Chermiti | Maeda |
Substitutes named for Rangers include Kelly, Meghoma, Souttar, Tavernier, Chukwuani, Bajrami, Gassama, Aasgaard and Miovski. Celtic’s substitutes include Doohan, Cvancara, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bernardo, Mvuka, Saracchi, Murray, Forrest and Donovan. For readers tracking patterns, the repeated selection of Naderi and Chermiti up front is a deliberate continuity in Rangers’ approach for this cup tie.
What Happens When Key Players Are Absent?
Celtic’s team news lists two notable absences: Kieran Tierney and captain Callum McGregor are not in the starting line-up. Tierney had been an injury doubt following a midweek win at Aberdeen; McGregor’s omission is described as a surprise, and he is at Ibrox but not included in the squad. Auston Trusty is available for selection because his suspension applies only to league games, and Liam Scales is the stand-in skipper at left-back.
On the Rangers side, Djiga and Diomande’s inclusion in place of Souttar and Chukwuani shifts the bench and personnel options. Both sets of alterations are explicit in the team announcements and represent the managers’ immediate choices for the cup tie.
What To Watch Next — Forward View
Key things to track in this repeat Ibrox meeting: whether Rangers’ continued front pairing of Ryan Naderi and Youssef Chermiti sustains the same partnership dynamics; how Celtic adjust without McGregor and Tierney in the starting XI; and the use of available substitutes listed for both sides. The match follows a 2-2 draw last Sunday, and this is the second encounter between the clubs in the space of a week, so selection patterns and bench depth will be decisive in the Scottish Cup quarter-final context. For now, the confirmed team sheets frame the immediate story of rangers vs celtic
