The Old Firm is trending because Rangers and Celtic are preparing for their first meeting of the season, a Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, with attention also on a police message to Celtic. The derby brings the rivals together in a knockout match, making the result important to both teams’ progress in the competition.
The build-up includes several talking points beyond the cup stakes. BBC Sport’s preview highlights the absence of away fans, European setbacks and derby debuts as reasons this meeting is particularly significant. Those themes are shaping coverage of the match alongside the rivalry itself.
Police Scotland’s involvement is another focus. Martin O’Neill revealed that Celtic had received a “general behaviour” warning ahead of Sunday’s League Cup quarter-final against Rangers. That message has added an off-field issue to the pre-match discussion, while the central story remains the rivals’ first encounter of the season and the chance to advance in the cup.
