Celtic v Rangers Betting Tip Celtic – 15th April 2018

Celtic to progress through to another final

International Football Tips

Sunday 15th April 2018 Kick off 1430hrs Celtic v Rangers Football – Scotland – Scottish Cup Celtic have not been at their best this season but they are essentially two games away from winning the ‘double treble’. It’s something that has never been done in Scottish football and would be a significant achievement for Brendan Rodgers men. Rangers are standing in their way in the shape of the first hurdle as the blue half of Glasgow attempt to put a spanner in the works of their great rivals. The two clubs met at the same stage last season as Celtic cruised to a 2-0 victory – what lies in the store this time around?

A Tom Rogic goal in the second minute of injury time secured an invincible, unbeaten treble and sealed what was one of the most memorable season’s in Celtic’s history. Aberdeen were the team on the receiving end of that pain and history could well repeat itself a year later with the Hoops facing off against the same semi final opponents as they did 12 months ago and could yet face the Dons in the showpiece on May the 19th of this year. Rodgers men have already tied up the League Cup having beaten Motherwell 2-0 on their last trip to Hampden back in November and are one win away from clinching their seventh straight league title so it really is all about Sunday’s game and what they hope will be an appearance in the final. It’s been a pretty straightforward route to the semis with home wins over Brechin City, Partick Thistle and Greenock Morton. Their biggest challenge came from Thistle as they edged the Firhill side 3-2. It means this will be their first match played away from Celtic Park in this season’s competition and will undoubtedly be their biggest test to date.

It’s been a variable season for Rangers but one they hope can still end in glory by winning the Scottish Cup. Graeme Murty was brought in as caretaker towards the end of 2017 and given the job until the end of the season following an improvement in their fortunes. A busy transfer window in January seen a number of new players arrive and led to a continued spell of good results. There was even some hope that the club could mount a title challenge to Celtic ahead of their most recent meeting in the league but the wheels have come off since that game, somewhat. The 3-2 loss at Ibrox was followed by another home defeat to Kilmarnock before dropping points in their next game at Motherwell. They did get back to winning ways last time out at home to Dundee but it’s looking more and more like they will be in a battle for second spot once the league resumes next weekend. Their cup exploits, like Celtic, have been achieved with little fuss having beaten non-league Fraserburgh, League One Ayr United and Falkirk from the Championship. It will be their first return to the national stadium since losing 2-0 to Motherwell in the League Cup semi final.

Celtic v Rangers Betting Tip

This will be the first of two meetings in a fortnight between Celtic and Rangers but there’s no doubting what is the most important. With Celtic all but sealed another title, it’s all about the Scottish Cup and one of the two taking their place in the final next month. The Hoops have defeated Rangers in their last two meetings in cup competitions (League Cup and Scottish Cup 2016/17) and have been dominant in both. Rangers did spring a surprise in 2015/16 when beating Celtic on penalties but they have not actually defeated Celtic within 90 minutes since reforming in 2012. Sunday gives them another opportunity to do just that and they will take some confidence from their last two league meetings where they held Celtic to a draw in December before that defeat at Ibrox last time out. For Celtic, however, that win last month has served to underline their superiority as it was achieved with 10 men away from home.

Whoever wins this game will go into the final as favourites to lift the trophy but all the two managers will be concentrating on is finding a winning formula on Sunday. Rodgers and Murty have decisions to make in terms of selections with players returning from injury. Murty, particularly, also has to decide on what strategy to take. His counter attacking approach at Celtic Park worked to frustrate and nullify Celtic but his more attacking approach at home ensured they were more of a threat. The thinking is he will adopt a more conservative style – this is where Celtic have struggled the most in this campaign. The current holders, and champions of Scotland, tend to win the big games they are expected to be victorious in and have the strongest squad they’ve had at any time this season and those options can swing another semi final against Rangers at Hampden, in their favour.

Celtic 17/20 @ Marathon Bet