Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026
Trivia
- KO: 13:00, Sunday, Premier Sports TV
- Scottish Cup quarter-finals
- 0-0 AET, Celtic won 4-2 on penalties, didn’t miss a single penalty!
- First Celtic victory in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox since 1957!
- Celtic given full Ibrox stand in Scottish Cup of 7500
- Celtic without Engels, Schmeichel, Tierney, Johnston, CCV, McGregor, Jota and Osmand, whilst Sevco didn’t really have a single major injured player out.
- McGregor & Tierney out injured, surprisingly Sarachi doesn’t start in his place (or ever come on)! Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench but comes on late in the game (scored in the penalties).
- Major trouble as Sevco fans swarmed onto the pitch and headed towards the Celtic fans for confrontation, there were Cetlic fans on the pitch but in our zone celebrating. Flares fired at the Celtic fans from the Sevco fans and then some in retaliation fired other way (dangerous and unacceptable). Police & Stewards having a hard task here.
- All condemn what occurred, with SFA stating investigations to be carried out. Calls to revoke large numbers of away supporters at the games.
- Celtic coach Stephen McManus was attacked by some fat Sevco blowhard on the pitch in these post-match celebrations but thankfully enough intervened to arrest him, and he should be hammerred in court. Turns out he was a youth coach with Glenbucks boys club and was cut soon after this happened.
- Police arrested three Sevco fans in relation to the horrific attack on a Celtic fan trying to get onto his supporters bus after Sunday’s match. The Celtic fan who was left unconscious and is thankfully recovering from his injuries had his head stamped on several times by Rangers fans. A 54 year old, a 23 year old and a 20 year old have all been charged with serious assault.
- Celtic face St Mirren in Semifinals.
- Celtic had faced Sevco in the league at Ibrox last Sunday, 2-2. So two times unbeaten at Ibrox in consecutive Sundays.
- Celtic complete four away games in a row (described by one forum as Celtic’s Event Horizon for the season): Away at Stuttgart. Away at Ibrox. Away at Pittodrie. Away at Ibrox. Extra time at the end of it all. Nine days, 3 wins and a draw. Fantastic effort
- Dane Murray sustained a late thigh injury in the run-up to Celtic’s 2-1 win at Aberdeen and was replaced in the starting XI by Benjamin Arthur. However, Dane Murry came on in this game as a sub for Ben Arthur late on. Both had decent game.
- Motherwell played their league game in hand the day before, and lost to Dundee 2-1!
- Kieran Tierney will undergo tests on a potential foot injury from Aberdeen game.
- Scottish Fire Service tackle a major blaze at an historic building on Union Street as streets are closed. The fire that started this afternoon has escalated to engulf city centre commercial building near Central Station.
- Reports:
- Celtic are showing interest in Motherwell’s New Zealand international Elijah Just and Hibs midfielder Miguel Chaiwa ahead of the summer transfer window.
- Ozan Kabak, out of contract with German club Hoffenheim at the end of the season, is on a list of Celtic transfer targets, along with Cologne midfielder Eric Martel.
- Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson keen on moving to a club playing Champions League football, who qualifies between Celtic and interested English clubs could determine where the 21-year-old heads this summer when his contract expires.
- Arne Engels, up £7m to £15.6m, is the biggest transfer market value upgrade in the Scottish Premiership this season (Transfermarket). If that’s ever reliable.
- Roberto Martinez, who has been linked with the Celtic job after this summer’s World Cup, is in the running to replace Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace.
- Celtic are keen to sign left-back Marcelo Saracchi on a permanent deal, but face competition from clubs in England and Brazil, according to the player’s agent Marcelo Tejera.
- Rugby: Big shock as Scotland defeat France in 6N at Murrayfield. England lose for first time ever to Italy!
Summary
“Supporters [are]making their way on to the pitch at both ends of the stadium, Celtic in celebration, Rangers fans in retaliation.”
Premier Sport commentator Rory Hamilton is in no doubt about what he is seeing with the Sevco Ultras advancing towards the Celtic end to create a near riot
joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki: Incredible but not the performance. Two very poor sides could hardly achieve much on the field throughout the game, with a goal each ruled out, Celtic’s for marginal offside which only VAR could judge and then Sevco for a goal scored after TWO handballs (how did no official on the pitch see either?). Celtic without Engels, Schmeichel, Tierney, Johnston, CCV, McGregor, Jota and Osmand, whilst Sevco didn’t have a single injury, but Celtic held out with the makeshift defence doing an incredible jobe with notably Trusty being a rock in a performance that even CCV would have been proud of, whilst Sinisalo is goals has buried any doubts about his right & ability to have the no.1 jersey. Hatate was superb but admittedly Sevco were far more dominant in the Celtic half than Celtic spent time in the opposition half. If anything, there were few genuine goal scoring opportunities made by either side. It seemed inevitable from early on that it would go to penalty kicks. When Tavernier missed his penalty (despite having an admittedly incredible record in converting penalties for Sevco), it was all Celtic with four penalties scored with Sevco missing two and scoring two!
Trusty was my man of the match, he was a rock in defence, a makeshift defence whom many would understandably have concerns about. A rookie goalkeeper & central defence partner, whist Scales was the left back out of position. With Tierney & CCV out injured, and little to no central midfield defensive players really with McGregor not there.Trusty was tip top today.
The whole match though was overshadowed after some Celtic fans swarmed onto the pitch albeit remained firmly in their zones and with no threat, but Sevco Union Bear Ultras and others swarmed over and invaded the pitch heading straight over to the Celtic fans for a confrontation, in what will have been a frightening scene for some. Flares fired across at fans. This wil lead top some major post match reviews.
Celtic coach Stephen McManus was attacked by some fat Sevco blowhard on the pitch in these post-match celebrations but thankfully enough intervened to arrest him, and he should be hammerred in court.
“The Scottish FA condemns the behaviour from supporters entering the field of play following today’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox Stadium. “An investigation will be carried out immediately in line with the Judicial Panel Protocol.”
SFA
“There were a few tete-a-tetes, anyway. It’s unfortunate. Hopefully it doesn’t dilute the performance. “It was our fourth game in 10 days and we were really out on our feet, but we defended magnificently. Blocks, boys throwing their bodies on the line. I’ve got the utmost regard for the team. “Old Firm games are explosive games, they always have been. That’s maybe one of the reasons why the derby is one of the best in the world. “We had to defend for long periods in the game and we did that magnificently. It was a tough afternoon for us, but we came through it and we finally won the game. “When those two [Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney] drop out of the side, it does leave a hole, in terms of leadership – although I thought [Liam] Scales was outstanding.”
“You know what these matches are like. We could have lost in normal times or penalties, but we didn’t. They refused to lose the game. That’s really significant. “There’s certain aspects of the team we’d like to improve, do things better, but in terms of spirit it was absolutely remarkable. “Our fourth game in 10 days and that can’t be forgotten, there is an excuse for our lads not being able to run any more. On the post-match scenes: “You’re asking me a lot of political questions in this moment when I’m in a euphoric state. “The fans have spilled over, big scenes at the end, all over the place. I’m not diminishing it at all, I will have a think about it and speak to you in due course.”
“Well, obviously delighted that we’re still in the competition. “It was a tough afternoon, I knew it would be, of course – Ibrox away from home for the second time in a week but our fourth game in 10 days. I knew that we’d get tired during the course of proceedings. “The players showed phenomenal courage and great, great determination and a rear-guard action, which is really commendable. Everyone to a man did more than their jobs. They were really terrific. “There’s things we feel that naturally we’re far from the finished article. Four away fixtures, two at Ibrox, one in Stuttgart and Aberdeen, which was not an easy game for us either. So, great credit to the team. “It shouldn’t do us any harm. It should give you a great boost. The players, they’ve got a bit of confidence about themselves. “It should keep confidence high. Does it change for the rest of the league? I’m not sure.”
MoN
“We did well as a group from last week to this week. We will do this again, it’s our job. We are strong enough to step up in the right moments and we will do. “We can take a lot of good things from this game, except the result. I’m totally convinced we will be ready again next week. “At the end of the game, there’s always emotion. It’s what makes this game so exciting.”
Rohl
“We have quality in the team, so I trust everybody who is on a penalty is going to score. It was quite easy. “It’s a lot of pressure. We were also on the opposite side of the pitch from our fans. I just knew what I had to do, and did it. “It doesn’t surprise me [how intense it is]. We knew how tough it would be. But we were backed by almost 8,000 supporters, so it almost felt like home because it was pretty loud.”
Cvancara
“There’s no derby like it, and [the post-match scenes] won’t take away from what we’ve done here today. “We’ve come here, beat them and we’re into the next round of the cup. That’s what we’ll focus on. “It’s clear for everyone to see, we’re playing for the badge and showing a bit of heart. As a player, it’s so pleasing to see. Everyone is making blocks, working for each other. We’re being good team-mates to each other. “It’s not easy, coming here and winning. It’s not been an easy season, we can’t hide away from that. In times like that, you have to be a very good team-mate.”
Sinsalo
AG67 of KDS:
I must admit, as the game went on with Celtic holding out but never really looking like scoring, kept thinking it would be a pain to frustrate them for 120 minutes but to then go through another Aberdeen/Kairat shootout.
Would have struggled to name five potential penalty takers for Celtic.
But when Captain Disappointed stepped up and missed I thought it was going to go Celtic’s way.
Big shout out to Hatate the way he despatched his penalty after last week.
Antoninho of KDS: Today Let’s be clear, we celebrated at our end with a few fans spilling onto the pitch. At our end. They ran all the way up to us launching flares and attempting to cause harm to our support. Do not allow anyone of the zombie controlled media to set a narrative that drags us into it when this was not the case. That glorified cheerleader of theirs on premier sports was a disgrace for setting that tone and Tom English was always known for being a bootlicker of theirs but to congratulate them on their restraint? It’s utter slander and it needs to be highlighted.
Teams
Celtic
Manager:Martin O’Neill
Formation:4 – 3 – 3
01, J. Butland (c), Captain
25, T. Rommens,55′, Yellow Card at 55 mins, subbed for J. Meghoma at 102 mins
37, E. Fernandez
24, N. Djiga, subbed for J. Souttar at 105 mins
21, D. Sterling,67′, Yellow Card at 67 mins, subbed for J. Tavernier at 90 mins
10, M. Diomandé,2′, Yellow Card at 2 mins, subbed for T. Chukwuani at 46 mins
43, N. Raskin
47, M. Moore, subbed for N. Bajrami at 77 mins
07, A. Skov Olsen, subbed for D. Gassama at 66 mins
20, R. Naderi
09, Youssef Chermiti
Subs:
11, T. Aasgaard
14, N. Bajrami
42, T. Chukwuani
23, D. Gassama
31, L. Kelly
30, J. Meghoma
28, B. Miovski
05, J. Souttar
02, J. Tavernier
Penalties
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trusty, Hatate, Čvančara
TheRangers
Manager: Danny Röhl
Formation:4 – 2 – 2 – 2
12, V. Siniscalco
05, L. Scales (c), Captain,22′, Yellow Card at 22 mins
06, A. Trusty
43, B. Arthur, subbed for D. Murray at 60 mins
22, J. Araujo,116′ ET, Yellow Card at 116 mins extra time
41, R. Hatate,84′, Yellow Card at 84 mins
14, L. McCowan, subbed for A. Oxlade-Chamberlain at 57 mins
08, B. Nygren, subbed for Paulo Bernardo at 102 mins
23, S. Tounekti, subbed for T. Čvančara at 57 mins
38, D. Maeda, subbed for J. Forrest at 79 mins
13, Yang Hyun-Jun, subbed for J. Mvuka at 79 mins
Subs:
51, C. Donovan
31, R. Doohan
49, J. Forrest
28, Paulo Bernardo,111′ ET, Yellow Card at 111 mins extra time
32, J. Mvuka
47, D. Murray
21, A. Oxlade-Chamberlain
36, M. Saracchi
11, T. Čvančara
Goals:
Assists:
Match Officials
Referee: Don Robertson
Assistant Referee 1: Ross MacLeod
Assistant Referee 2: David Roome
Fourth Official: Calum Scott
Venue:Ibrox Stadium
Attendance:51,215
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
Overall possession
Rangers 59.1%
Celtic 40.9%
Shots
Rangers 24
Celtic 1
Shots on target
Rangers 6
Celtic 0
Goalkeeper saves
Rangers 0
Celtic 2
Fouls committed
Rangers 16
Celtic 19
Corners
Rangers 12
Celtic 4
In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
Rangers 24
Celtic 1
Shots on target
Rangers 6
Celtic 0
Shots off target
Rangers 7
Celtic 0
Defence
Fouls committed
Rangers 16
Celtic 19
Total yellow cards
Rangers 3
Celtic 4
Articles
BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cvg33dk5q8gt?page=2#Report
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at Ibrox
Celtic beat Rangers on penalties to edge into the Scottish Cup semi-finals as a combustible Old Firm derby concluded in ugly scenes with fans from both sides swarming the pitch at Ibrox.
James Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama missed from the spot after an absorbing – if poor quality – contest, allowing Tomas Cvancara the chance to seal a place in the last four after a game in which Rangers dominated.
When his penalty beat Jack Butland, Celtic fans spilled on to the field, followed by Rangers supporters, as police and stewards tried to restore order while projectiles flew through the air.
Police Scotland condemned the “shameful” scenes which they say included “extreme hostility and violence over a sustained period”.
They said some fans were armed with “items intended to cause harm” and that officers and members of the public have been injured and “a number of arrests” have been made.
Both clubs told BBC Sport they will not comment officially yet, but the Scottish FA said “an investigation will be carried out immediately”.
It was an ugly end to an engrossing quarter-final.
Both sides had a goal ruled out in the 90 minutes, with Celtic’s Daizen Maeda having a header disallowed for an earlier offside before Emmanauel Fernandez saw his effort chalked off for handball in extra time.
Rangers dominated for long spells but failed to capitalise on that as Celtic held firm to earn an incredible victory, perfectly executing their four spot-kicks to claim a place in the semi-final draw, later on Sunday.
The headlines, however, will focus on the aftermath. It was horrible to witness and will surely bring consequences.
Police separate Celtic and Rangers fans after Ibrox pitch invasion
Attribution
News
Published
46 minutes ago
‘Disgraceful scenes as toxicity spills over in Old Firm cup tie’
Published
2 hours ago
Lack of quality but no lack of drama
Before the horrible ending, it was tense. A quality contest, no. Dramatic, absolutely. Nerve shredding for all invested in it.
The absence of Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney through injury handed Celtic manager Martin O’Neill a real selection dilemma.
Liam Scales moved to left-back, Benjamin Arthur made just his second start, and Luke McCowan largely occupied McGregor’s position from the start.
All that surely offered Rangers a huge pre-match boost. They asserted themselves as the first half wore on but struggled to threaten Viljami Sinisalo in Celtic’s goal.
The visitors then got a foothold and thought they had scored when Maeda’s flying header found the target, but Scales was deemed offside on review as his flick on created the chance.
A let off for Rangers but no direct shots on goal from either side by the interval told the main story.
05:33
Media caption,
Watch Celtic beat Rangers on penalties in Scottish Cup
After the break, the hosts threw everything at Celtic, who looked to be creaking. Arthur was caught and bailed out by Sinisalo. Mikey Moore was twice denied, superbly, by Auston Trusty.
Pressure built. Fernandez flicked on a corner, Youssef Chermiti got a touch but Sebastian Tounekti somehow scrambled clear.
Scramble being the operative word for Celtic, they were having to constantly. The home side kept coming with O’Neill’s side backed up against a wall in their own half.
Benjamin Nygren denied Nicolas Raskin on the goal line but Celtic forced extra time showing dogged determination to not relent.
Still Rangers came. Chermiti hit one from a great position but was blocked. From the corner, Fernandez rose, the ball was forced home but was it handball? It was, as the drama continued.
The chance rate for Rangers upped but the scoreline somehow remained blank.
Celtic seemed content to hold out for spot-kicks. They got them and somehow escaped with victory.
Analysis: Celtic defy odds as familar flaws haunt Rangers
Rangers v CelticImage source, SNS
Image caption,
Celtic had one shot on goal but still managed to win
Whoever the victor, they would automatically become favourites to lift the Scottish Cup. Although, in this season of shocks nothing seems a given.
Given the current Premiership context, this route to silverware was not one to be treated lightly. It might be the only trophy available to these clubs.
Celtic were badly stretched. Rangers nearly full strength.
What an opportunity this was for Danny Rohl’s side. They had Celtic on the ropes but, as has been the case too often of late, they couldn’t capitalise when in a great position.
Rohl has said he needs to lift silverware this season. That’s the demand at Rangers and for too long that has largely escaped them. That is a long shot now.
This was undoubtedly a patched up Celtic team. Crucially, a clutch of new signings were left out, perhaps suggesting recruitment hasn’t been up to scratch again.
In attack, Celtic were almost anonymous. Incredibly, they had one shot – and that off target – in 120 minutes. You don’t win games like that. Yet they did.
Defensively, they were quite something, though.
They had won in Stuttgart and Aberdeen recently. Drawn at Ibrox last weekend when seemingly on the floor. Somehow, here, they got the job done against all odds.
The scenes as they celebrated will be dissected and dealt with but Celtic are through and remain in with a shout of silverware.
Ugly end to engrossing Old Firm quarter-final
Scottish Football Podcast
08/03/26
Listen on Sounds
What they said
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: “We’re disappointed. I saw a team from our side to play 120 minutes how we want to. We should score.
“When you have 24 to one shots, when you create so many great opportunities, then I must say, I’m proud of my group, how we played football. I know football’s about results. I see a lot of positive things.”
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill: “Well, obviously delighted that we’re still in the competition.
“The players showed phenomenal courage and great, great determination and a rear guard action, which is really commendable. Everyone to a man did more than their jobs. They were really terrific.”
‘Shameful’ pitch invasion by Celtic and Rangers fans condemned by police
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4w22znlyvo
Media caption,
Police create cordon on pitch to seperate Old Firm fans
ByMary McCool
BBC Scotland
Published
8 March 2026, 16:17 GMT
Updated 1 hour ago
Police and fans have been injured as Celtic and Rangers supporters clashed during a pitch invasion after an Old Firm match in Glasgow.
A number of arrests were made during what Police Scotland described as “despicable” and “shameful” scenes at Ibrox stadium.
Celtic fans initially spilled onto the pitch in celebration after a 4-2 win on penalties in the Scottish Cup quarter final before Rangers fans also joined the fracas.
Flares were thrown as police and stewards formed a barricade to separate the two groups of supporters.
Ch Supt Kate Stephen said the behaviour of a number of fans “must be condemned by everyone involved in football and wider society”.
She said: “A number of arrests have already been made, and Police Scotland will now work with both clubs and the Scottish Football Association to carry out a robust investigation following the scenes on the pitch at the conclusion of the match.
“Officers and stewards were faced with extreme hostility and violence over a sustained period, with many individuals having armed themselves with items clearly intended to cause harm.
“Officers and members of the public have been injured in this despicable display and I want to express my thanks to all officers and staff deployed.”
A line of police on the pitch at Ibrox during an invasion of both Celtic and Rangers fans. A flare burns on the pitch in the foregroundImage source, Reuters
Police and stewards formed a barricade between the two groups of fans who had invaded the pitch
A number of football fans running across a football pitch wearing black clothing and face coverings.Image source,
Fans wearing black clothing and blue and red face coverings ran across the pitch
The disorder quickly settled down with fans returning to the stands as police and stewards formed a barrier between opposing supporters.
It was the first time Celtic supporters have been given the full Broomloan Road Stand allocation at Ibrox since it was reduced to fewer than 1,000 in 2018.
Traditionally, around 7,500 Celtic fans filled the stand for Old Firm derbies.
Since then, away allocations at both Ibrox and Celtic Park have fluctuated between about 750 and zero in a series of tit-for-tat moves.
Police said some of the supporters had entered the Broomloan Stand without tickets, forcing delays to the security operation with turnstiles closed for a time.
Green smoke over a stand full of Celtic fans at Ibrox – a few of the fans are waving Palestinian flagsImage
Green smoke could be seen over the Celtic end of the stadium
The Scottish Football Association condemned the supporters who went onto the pitch and said an investigation would be carried out “immediately”.
Scotland’s victims and community safety minister Siobhan Brown said the scenes were “unacceptable”.
She said: “Of particular concern is the reckless use of pyrotechnics which could have caused serious injury.”
Brown highlighted that the Scottish government had recently consulted on extending powers to ban football fans from games and was “considering next steps”.
Currently Football Banning Orders (FBOs) are only imposed if supporters are involved in violence or disorder – they enable the authorities to stop fans attending games anywhere in the UK for 10 years.
Both clubs told BBC Sport they would not comment officially yet.
In a post-match interview, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill said: “You’re asking me a lot of political questions in this moment when I’m in a euphoric state.
“The fans have spilled over, big scenes at the end, all over the place. I’m not diminishing it at all, I will have a think about it and speak to you in due course.”
Meanwhile Rangers head coach Danny Rohl told Premier Sports: “I’m not sure what was at the end, I was in the tunnel.”
Celtic go through to semi-final on penalties
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/08/celtic-go-through-to-semi-final-on-penalties/
Match Report
By Matthew Campbell
Share
08 Mar 2026, 4:00 pm
Scottish Cup
Quarter final
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Ibrox
RANGERS…0
CELTIC…0
Celtic win 4-2 on penalties
Celtic are through to the Scottish Cup semi final after defeating Rangers 4-2 at Ibrox on penalties.
Martin O’Neill was without Kieran Tierney and his captain Callum McGregor, with both men unable to feature after injuries sustained during the Hoops’ 2-1 victory against Aberdeen on Wednesday.
The match got off to somewhat of a frantic start and with only three minutes on the clock, Don Robertson produced the first card of the afternoon, showing Mohamed Diomande a yellow for a poor challenge on Julián Araujo in the middle of the park.
The home side then carved out a chance for Youssef Chermiti, the scorer of two first-half goals last week, but his effort from the edge of the box went well wide after he was put under pressure by the Celtic defence.
The massive travelling Celtic faithful were buoyed by a promising attack from the Hoops just shy of the half hour mark which saw Liam Scales, in at left back for today’s match, whip a dangerous ball into the box which the home side scrambled clear for a Celtic corner, though Martin O’Neill’s men weren’t able to make anything happen from the set-piece.
That passage of play, however, gave Celtic confidence that they could get in behind the Rangers defence and seven minutes later, a ball in to the box from Luke McCowan was flicked on by Liam Scales and turned in to the back of the net by Daizen Maeda. After a VAR review though, the goal was ruled out for offside and the home side were given a reprieve.
The Ibrox side had a big opportunity to take the lead with a few minutes of the half remaining when Chermiti ran on to a ball in to the area from Dujon Sterling, but his shot from close range went over the bar and the sides went in level at the break.
59%
Possession
41%
24
Shots
1
6
Shots On Target
0
12
Corners
4
16
Fouls
19
3
0
Cards
4
0
Celtic created a chance early in the second half when Sebastian Tounekti sent a ball up the wing for Benjamin Nygren to chase. The Swede was able to get on the end of it and send it across the box towards Daizen Maeda but the Rangers defence prevented the Japanese forward from getting his shot away.
Sinisalo was soon called in to action, producing a wonderful save down to his left as the home side tried to bundle the ball over the line from close range after sending a cross in to the box from a corner.
With 10 minutes of the second half gone, Martin O’Neill made his first changes of the afternoon, bringing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Cvancara on for Luke McCowan and Sebastian Tounekti, followed by a further change as Benjamin Arthur was replaced by Dane Murray.
With a little over 10 minutes to play, Martin O’Neill made a further two changes as Joel Mvuka and James Forrest replaced Daizen Maeda and Yang.
With neither side able to break the deadlock before the final whistle, extra-time was required and soon after the restart, Celtic rushed in to the home side’s penalty area, with Liam Scales looking like he might get a shot away, but he found himself crowded out by Rangers defenders.
Dane Murray produced a big block to deny Chermiti with almost 10 minutes of extra time played when it looked like the Rangers forward was about to find the back of the net from close range.
From the resulting corner, the home side thought they had taken the lead, with Tavernier’s delivery turned into the back of the net by Fernandez, but VAR ruled the goal out for handball.
Before the game was restarted, Martin O’Neill made his final change of the afternoon as Benjamin Nygren made way for Paulo Bernardo in the Celtic midfield.
Chermiti found himself with another massive opportunity before half time in extra time when Tavernier found him with a cross into the box, but the Rangers forward’s effort went wide of the target.
Five minutes in to the second half, a poor back-pass from John Souttar looked like it was going to result in a one-on-one opportunity for Cvancara, but Butland was quick off of his line and reached the ball first.
In the final minute, Celtic had a chance after Oxlade-Chamberlain found Mvuka, who in turn fed James Forrest, but his cross into the box was cut out, and the match headed to a penalty shootout.
After Rangers’ captain missed the first penalty, conversions from Oxlade-Chamberlain, Auston Trusty, Reo Hatate and Tomas Cvancara gave Celtic the victory and the Hoops will feature in this year’s Scottish Cup semi final.
Rangers: Butland, Sterling (Tavernier 90′), Djiga (Souttar 105′), Fernandez, Rommens (Meghoma 102′), Raskin, Diomande (Chukwuani 45′), Skov Olsen (Gassama 66′), Moore (Bajrami 77′), Youssef Chermiti, Naderi
Subs: Tavernier, Souttar, Aasgaard, Bajrami, Gassama, Miovski, Meghoma, Kelly, Chukwuani
Celtic: Sinisalo, Araujo, Arthur (Murray 60′), Trusty, Scales, Nygren (Paulo Bernardo 102′), McCowan (Oxlade-Chamberlain 57′), Hatate, Hyunjun Yang (Mvuka 79′), Maeda (Forrest 79′), Tounekti (Čvančara 57′)
Subs: Čvančara, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Paulo Bernardo, Doohan, Mvuka, Saracchi, Murray, Forrest, Donovan
Celts’ character spot on for Martin O’Neill
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/08/celts–character-spot-on-for-martin-o-neill/
First Team
By Joe Sullivan
Share
08 Mar 2026, 5:29 pm
At the end of 120 minutes of strength-sapping derby football, character and resilience play as much a part of success as the ability to slot the ball away from 12 yards.
And those qualities were praised by Martin O’Neill following Celtic’s 4-2 spot-kick win over Rangers.
The prize now is a trip to Hampden for the Scottish Cup semi final and it was a well-deserved achievement coming after four games on the road for the Irishman’s side.
He said: “I find it hard to describe. The only thing I can think about is that the players in the dressing room afterwards, they are absolutely and utterly out on their feet.
“Which is not surprising really. We’ve had four away games in 10 days and we’ve travelled to Germany. We had to play last Sunday as well, then we had to go up to Aberdeen and back, so four games in 10 days.
‘But the character in the side shone through magnificently and I thought that was the main point to take away from it.’
“The character, the blocks they put in, the defending on the edge of the penalty box, and it’s a credit to the players, it really is.”
And, after all that, it went down to a penalty shoot-out, an experience for all concerned – players, supporters and managers.
He added: “It’s harrowing, it’s really harrowing. You’ve gone the full distance, and you know it’s in the lap of the gods at the end of it all.
“They took the penalties brilliantly, took the advantage early on, Alex scores early on for us and it sets the tone.
“Hatate scores brilliantly – it didn’t take him three attempts to put the ball in the net this time!”
Czech Mate: Cvancara delivers endgame killer blow
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/08/czech-mate-Cvancara-delivers-endgame-killer-blow/
First Team
By Joe Sullivan
Share
08 Mar 2026, 4:56 pm
Before the game, the aim was to get through to the Scottish Cup semi-final and, right at the end of the game, Tomas Cvancara’s aim was true.
After 120 minutes without a goal from either side, the Hoops were spot on with their penalty kicks as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Auston Trusty and Reo Hatate all netted from 12 yards leaving the big Czech to tie matters up after Rangers had missed two of theirs.
And tie up matters he did by slotting the ball low to Jack Butland’s right-hand side while the keeper flew the other way and Celtic’s 4-2 lead on spot-kicks couldn’t be equalled.
The big striker said after the game: “I feel happy that we got through to the semi-final.
“Obviously it was a difficult game, but sometimes it’s not about how beautifully we play, but it’s about who is the winner in the end.
‘And we showed again that we have the character to win these games and I am happy for the team.’
“It’s not in doubt that we didn’t create a lot of chances, maybe we can play a little bit faster in the counter attacks.
“But, as I said, I’m just happy that we showed we have very good character.
“And even though we didn’t play the nicest football, we still keep winning and this is most important, not just for the title race but also for the cup games.”
And on his walk up to take the all-important penalty, he said: “To be honest, I just knew that it would be a big pressure. This can happen so you have to be ready for that moment.
“So, I was just clearing the head and thinking about doing the maximum to focus on the penalty.”
Rangers v Celtic was a shame game in every sense – awful on the pitch and appalling off it
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers-v-celtic-was-a-shame-game-in-every-sense-awful-on-the-pitch-and-appalling-off-it-5624308
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Chief Football Writer
Comments
Published 8th Mar 2026, 21:04 GMT
Fan disorder overshadows Celtic’s smash-and-grab victory
As tends to be the case, the sequel proved a major disappointment and far too long. The X-rated crowd scenes after Celtic’s penalty shootout victory following a 120-minute stalemate further condemned this latest Old Firm instalment, just seven days after the sides produced an absorbing 2-2 draw in the league.
This was a shame game in every sense. Awful on the pitch, utterly appalling off it. It was a broken crossbar away from mirroring the mayhem following Hibs’ Scottish Cup win over Rangers in 2016 although the flares fired back and forth were an extra, utterly indefensible ingredient.
We can safely wave goodbye to the idea that a larger away fan allocation for this fixture might become a permanent arrangement again. Tomas Cvancara’s nerveless winning penalty in the shootout triggered a surge of fans at the front of the Broomloan Road Stand, where over 7,000 Celtic fans had been allowed to congregate for the first time since 2018.
Some exuberance was natural—after all, this had been the smash-and-grab to end all smash-and-grabs. Celtic reached the last four of the Scottish Cup without managing a shot on target in 120 minutes. Not even extra time could separate these two very average teams. When penalty expert James Tavernier hit the bar for Rangers with the first kick, there was a sense the tie was drifting further away from the hosts. Rangers enjoyed so much possession yet lacked cutting edge. Danny Rohl has done so much good work since arriving at Ibrox but this latest failure to best a wily 74-year-old in the shape of Martin O’Neill means he can expect recriminations from within the Rangers support.
Still, such unhappiness was not an excuse for fans to start pouring onto the pitch from the Copland Road Stand after Cvancara’s successful conversion caused Celtic supporters to encroach from the other end. It didn’t excuse the mindless goading of each other, and it certainly was no defence for the pyrotechnics shot out from both sections of fans and the physical assaults. One member of the Celtic coaching team was seen grappling with a Rangers supporter. There was also footage of Celtic fans forcing open doors in the disabled section of the Broomloan Stand before kick-off. It was a febrile atmosphere from the off. The emotion seemed to weigh heavily on the players. It almost appeared to leave them enervated.
Perhaps it was just too much to ask for these two teams to raise themselves just seven days after a dramatic league match, particularly with Celtic having secured a hard-earned win in Aberdeen in between times. This was one reason why Rangers fans felt failure here was not to be borne. This perhaps helps explain why they seemed so affronted by the sight of celebrating Celtic supporters at the end.
Celtic were surely leggier, drained psychologically as well as physically ahead of this, their fourth away game in succession. Added to that was the fact they were missing their skipper and talisman Callum McGregor, sidelined due to an injury that had been kept under wraps in the run up to this tie. Kieran Tierney was also absent with a foot injury.
O’Neill’s farewell to Ibrox seemed set to end in disappointment. Little that happened on the pitch in the first half encouraged anyone to revise this opinion. However, as the tie progressed and Rangers proved more toothless, the notion that Celtic might prevail seemed less ridiculous. In a way, Rangers beat themselves. They certainly harmed themselves by failing to convert two of their four penalties. As well as the unfortunate Tavernier, fellow substitute Djeidi Gassama blazed over. Celtic converted all four of theirs despite initial cheers from the Rangers fans upon learning Tavernier had won the toss to select the end at which to take them. No home comfort was forthcoming in front of the Copland Road Stand.
Rohl dismissed any suggestion that his players lack the bottle for the big occasion. After throwing away a two-goal lead against the same opponents seven days earlier to gain only a point, they were left with absolutely nothing from the re-match where they were even more dominant. It’s Celtic’s first success over Rangers in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox since the 1950s.
“Mentality, mentality, guys…” Rohl replied to a question about whether Rangers lacked winners in the team. “This word should not be the topic today. I see in 120 minutes just one team who deserves to win. It’s not about mentality.”
Luke McCowan, McGregor’s replacement, was the sole Scot in the two starting XIs. Let that sink in. Almost as depressing as the offensive and very brazen singing about the Pope before kick-off. It wasn’t the most uplifting way to herald the 56th Scottish Cup clash between the teams. However, nobody could have imagined the return to the bad old days at the end.
And let no one claim Scotland is also immune to the scourge of simulation that has reared its head again south of the Border. Auston Trusty went down like the proverbial sack of tatties in the second half after a tap from Youssef Chermiti as the Rangers striker sought to retrieve the ball to restart play. Chermiti’s eagerness to get on with things told its own story. Rangers were on top and desperate to avoid the lottery of penalties, rightly so as it turned out.
Both sides had one goal ruled out each. Although the visitors were punch-less in the extreme for the most part, they did score a well-worked goal in the first half. McCowan’s cross was flicked on by Liam Scales and then headed in by the diving Daizen Maeda. A VAR review proved Scales, who wore the armband and was deployed at left back, had not got back onside quickly enough following a cleared corner.
Rangers were also frustrated when Manny Fernandez’s header was ruled out in extra time for handball. Three sides of Ibrox had exploded after the defender had finally appeared to break the deadlock. The deflation when the decision was confirmed was palpable. The home fans clearly feared this was not going to end well. An afternoon they will want to forget will be raked over for a long time yet.
…
Celtic and Rangers managers react to ugly Ibrox scenes amid concern over future impact on away fans
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic-and-rangers-managers-react-to-ugly-ibrox-scenes-amid-concern-over-future-impact-on-away-fans-5624269
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Chief Football Writer
Comments
Published 8th Mar 2026, 18:35 GMT
Pitch invasion overshadows Scottish Cup quarter-final tie
The Scottish Football Association have promised to look into the supporter disorder that caused Celtic’s penalty shootout victory over Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals at Ibrox to descend into chaos.
What is certain to prove Celtic manager Martin O’Neill’s final match at the stadium will be remembered for very different reasons after scenes of mayhem among fans, hundreds of whom encroached on the pitch.
Celtic earned a place in the last four of the Scottish Cup after Tomas Cvancara’s coolly slotted penalty confirmed a 4-2 victory on penalties after the goalless draw. Away fans poured over the hoardings at the Broomloan Road Stand to celebrate. Over 7,000 Celtic fans were present, the club’s largest following at Ibrox since 2018. Hundreds of Rangers supporters left their seats in the Copland Road Stand in a bid to confront those Celtic fans on the pitch at the other end of the stadium.
A flare is thrown towards police and stewards as trouble flares after Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Rangers at Ibrox. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
A flare is thrown towards police and stewards as trouble flares after Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Rangers at Ibrox. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group
The players were eventually escorted from the playing area but not before some Celtic players, including full back Julian Araujo, were involved in a confrontation with a group of Rangers fans. Araujo had earlier jumped to swing on the crossbar in front of the Celtic fans as he celebrated the victory. Flares and flagpoles were thrown by both sets of fans. Footage of a number of Celtic fans breaking through a door of the Broomloan Road Stand to gain entry circulated on social media before kick-off.
A statement from the SFA had been released by the time Rangers manager Danny Rohl started his post-match press conference. “The Scottish FA condemns the behaviour from supporters entering the field of play following today’s Scottish Gas Quarter-Final at Ibrox Stadium,” it said. “An investigation will be carried out immediately in line with the Judicial Panel Protocol.”
O’Neill confirmed no Celtic staff members were hurt in the melee. “As we were making our way back (to the dressing room), I think there was some sort of fracas,” he said. “Somebody tried to get on the field. I don’t know, all I saw was there was a bit of a scrum down at the bottom. And as you say, maybe it does taint proceedings. I think there’s an element of self-protection. Please, I’m making judgments here on things that I only half saw.”
He added that it was “worrying” as well as regrettable that such scenes will overshadow a famous if somewhat fortuitous win for his side, who were out played throughout. Rangers, however, were unable to find the crucial goal. Celtic had no shots on target in the entire 120 minutes. Despite all of their possession, Rangers did not make Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo work hard enough. Both sides had goals ruled out: Celtic’s for offside and Rangers’ for handball.
Perhaps more significant is the impact the post-match scenes will have on the fixture going forward. There had been hopes that the larger allocation of away fans allowed in for this Scottish Cup fixture might herald the permanent return of this more civil arrangement. The scenes at Ibrox seem certain to have put this idea into cold storage.
“That’s not for me to make a judgment,” said O’Neill. “Certainly not only 20 minutes after the game is over. So I don’t know that. If it is, if that’s the case, that’s a concern.
“For me, from a distance, I’ve been saying that the fixture itself is still a phenomenal fixture,” he added. “There’s no question about that. It had lost a bit of its lustre because the away fans, the full complement of away fans, weren’t allowed in. And I have no idea what might happen.”
‘Will be the same in 500 years’
The Celtic manager admitted that, in his view, the animosity has not diminished during his long absence from the fixture. O’Neill has spent two successive Sundays at Ibrox – Celtic drew a league fixture 2-2 last weekend – having not visited the stadium as Celtic manager since 2005. “I don’t know whether it (the spite) has grown,” he said. “It hasn’t lessened. Let me put it this way. And if any of us ever come down to this earth in 500 years, it will be exactly the same. Exactly the same.”
Rohl could not hide his disappointment at the end although he was consumed by dismay at seeing his team defeated. He did not witness the disorder having departed quickly down the tunnel at the end. James Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama were the Rangers players who failed to score their penalties: Tavernier struck the bar, and Gassama blazed over.
“I was not on the pitch in this moment,” said Rohl, when asked about the fan invasion. “I didn’t see it until now. I heard just that there was something on the pitch. I think we all know the emotional situation after a game. Nobody likes to see this. I think it was a great atmosphere for 120 minutes. I think it should be like this. All the other things should not be in the stadium or around football.”
Celtic and Rangers fans clash as Ibrox pitch invasion mars Scottish Cup tie
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic-and-rangers-fans-clash-as-ibrox-pitch-invasion-mars-scottish-cup-tie-5624210
Matthew Elder
By Matthew Elder
Deputy Sports Editor
Comments
Published 8th Mar 2026, 16:14 GMT
Updated 8th Mar 2026, 17:03 GMT
SFA launch investigation as fans storm pitch after Celtic win shoot-out
Scottish football authorities have launched an investigation after Rangers and Celtic supporters clashed on the pitch following their Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on Sunday.
The teams battled out a goalless draw across 120 minutes before Celtic emerged 4-2 winners in the penalty shoot-out with Tomas Cvancara slotting home the winning kick after James Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama missed for Rangers.
But the celebrations were marred by ugly scenes at full-time as both sets of fans invaded the pitch with players and staff forced to rush down the tunnel to safety.
It followed earlier reports of Celtic supporters storming a turnstile ahead of kick-off while images surfaced online of offensive graffiti relating to the 1972 Ibrox disaster sprayed on walls inside the stand.
The trouble escalated at full-time with dozens of Celtic fans storming onto the pitch to celebrate victory after the penalty shoot-out success.
A large contingent of Rangers fans then followed onto the pitch with skirmishes breaking out and flares thrown as the situation threatened to get out of hand.
Police and stewards were quickly on the scene to form a barrier and within a few minutes the crowd had been dispersed with order restored. However, both clubs are likely to face repurcussions from the Scottish Football Assocation, which has launched an investigation.
A statement from the governing body read: “The Scottish FA condemns the behaviour from supporters entering the field of play following today’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final at Ibrox Stadium. An investigation will be carried out immediately in line with the Judicial Panel Protocol.”
Former Scotland international Charlie Adam, speaking on talkSPORT, branded the scenes a “disgrace”.
“It’s a sad day for Scottish football,” he said. “For the Old Firm that we talk about being our leadership teams and (what) they represent, it’s an embarrassment for our game.
“And as a national team we’re trying to improve and we’re trying to get better. But these two clubs have let us down as a nation and they have to have a look at themselves today.
“Both football clubs have to look at themselves because they are the standard-bearers for us as football clubs and they have, both (sets of) supporters have let themselves down.
“It’s an embarrassment for Scottish football. This should not be happening. In this day and age this should not be happening and we have to get control of it quickly because if it doesn’t it’ll keep escalating and escalating and there’ll be big, big problems.”
Celtic join Falkirk and Dunfermline in the semi-final hat and will found out who they will face in the final four at Hampden when the draw is made after the last remaining quarter-final tie between St Mirren and Partick Thistle on Sunday evening.
‘Disgraceful scenes as toxicity spills over in Old Firm cup tie’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5ykrzp9d26o
Media caption,
Police create cordon on pitch to separate Old Firm fans
By
Tom English
BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer at Ibrox
Published
5 hours ago
As if the ugliness of the 120 minutes wasn’t enough – the grisly battle, the hair-on-fire panic, the abysmal lack of anything resembling coherence or even competence – there was the disgrace of the post-match.
Celtic had made it through to the Scottish Cup semi-finals after one shot on goal and no shot on target.
They had survived their way through the day despite their own awful shortcomings, winning on penalties because Rangers were an abomination in reply.
On a day of blocks, misplaced passes, crosses flying out of play, free-kicks wasted, aerial duels, hoofball, head tennis, punts downfield, unending fouls and a chronic lack of accuracy, the last act was Tomas Cvancara beating Jack Butland.
Or, at least, we hoped it was the last act.
It wasn’t, of course. The finale to the day involved a pitch invasion from many, many Celtic supporters at the Broomloan Road end. There were 7,500 of them at Ibrox. A return to the way things were pre-2018. Mistake. Big, big mistake.
Initially, the Rangers fans in the Copland Stand reacted, a tiny number threatening to pile on to the pitch and head into the fray. They were shoved back in quick order.
More Celtic people streamed on, dancing and waving and cajoling. Red rags to Rangers’ bulls. Celtic staff beseeched them to clear off but their pleas were ignored.
The Rangers dam burst. On they came from the Copland Road stand in big numbers. A menacing posse – many wearing masks – made a beeline for Celtic staff and players.
One of the visiting backroom team was confronted – we can’t say yet how violent that was – but the fan was jumped on by stewards and police led away.
Martin O’Neill said later that the staff member was trying to prevent an incident happening -“it’s why the person on the field was wrestled to the ground,” said the Celtic manager. It was troubling, to put it mildly.
Next, another Rangers fan – or fans – squared up to Julian Araujo, the Celtic full-back. What was the extent of the contact? We’ll have to revert to any footage that emerges, but it was shocking.
O’Neill led Araujo away, a look of deep concern on his face.
For a second, the threat of Rangers fans meeting Celtic fans was a real possibility. Mercifully, it was averted.
Missiles flew, though. Certainly, there was a flare thrown from Rangers to Celtic. That was the first one. Other objects came back the other way.
Watching the chaos you had to wonder about the logic of extending the numbers of away supporters, the obvious dangers, the unwise faith being placed in sections of these fans behaving themselves.
Back to the drawing board on that one, you suspect.
The Scottish FA is investigating, as it needs to. Neither club said anything officially in the immediate aftermath.
When they’re of a mind to talk, they might want to address rumours of a bust-up between players in the tunnel. Cvancara had blood on his jersey. It would be helpful to know how it got there.
So, not so much an Old Firm derby, more a demolition derby, a fittingly gruesome end to a lousy cup tie, a game that made the eyes bleed.
Both of these clubs are pretty angry right now. They are playing catch-up with Hearts, a scenario they never envisaged in a hundred years. They’re waiting and waiting for the Premiership leaders to implode but there’s little sign of it.
The league is far from done – there will be many more twists and turns – but the reality for Rangers and Celtic is that the Scottish Cup might be their best shot at silverware. The 1954-55 season was the last time both failed to win a trophy.
For Rangers, that chance has gone. They blew it, pure and simple. They had so much ball but so little invention and penetration. They could have been out there for two hours more and you wouldn’t have backed them to score.
The same for Celtic. They have an excuse for the hopelessness of their performance in attack (defensively they were really good). If they want to use it, that is.
They were without Callum McGregor, their captain, their talisman, their consistent source of influence and class. No McGregor meant trouble for Celtic.
On top of that they were missing Kieran Tierney, Kelechi Iheanacho and the long-term wounded – Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston, Arne Engels and Jota. That’s five, maybe six, starters – all not there.
Rangers had a relative clean bill of health by comparison. Plus home advantage. Plus a battalion of new signings who were supposed to bring energy and momentum to the second half of the season.
They have spent big under Andrew Cavenagh’s ownership. Knocking on for £40m – maybe more – has been splurged on transfer and loan fees. You wouldn’t know it.
Andreas Skov Olsen, 40 caps for Denmark, was their marquee loan recruit in January. He has been anonymous in his games so far and, if this was his big moment to announce himself, he flunked the test.
His corner, in the 52nd minute, was a microcosm of the day.
Right-hand side, packed penalty area, Celtic on the ropes, Rangers finding impetus if not accuracy. The corner was akin to a backpass, hit along the ground to the near post, where it was promptly hoofed away.
The only thing that was holding up out there was Celtic’s defence; firm and committed. They headed and blocked and cleared. They scrambled when they had to. Rangers had so much possession but were lamentably dull in their use of it.
Even still, you felt that at some point they’d make a breakthrough, at some point they’d find a chink and somebody would do something that resembled a clinical piece of play. Nobody ever did.
Emmanuel Fernandez pretended he did when scoring 11 minutes into extra time. He wheeled away after the ball hit the back of the Celtic net, saluting the fans, applauding their support as he drank in the acclaim.
It was all a con. Fernandez scored all right, but it came off his left hand. Claiming it as legitimate was a desperate act of a desperate man in a desperate team.
Ugly end to engrossing Old Firm quarter-final
Meanwhile, more than 100 minutes in and Celtic had still not had a shot on target. Pitiful.
Some might call the stalemate and the passion and the thud and blunder compelling, but you have low expectations if that’s the case.
Even allowing for their missing players, Celtic, from midfield to front, were a dismal shadow of what they want to be. Up front, they have little to no threat. They have recruited strikers and none of them, seemingly, have much ability to strike.
Last weekend, in the Premiership, this pair served up a fine game with some excellent football and memorable goals. This was a grunt-fest. Great, if that’s your kind of thing.
To penalties and, for Rangers, the writing was on the wall when James Tavernier began by hitting the crossbar. Djeidi Gassama’s effort at 3-2 to Celtic – ballooned over Viljami Sinisalo’s goal – set the stage for Cvancara to end the contest and spark the invasion.
An hour after the trouble ended and after everybody had left Ibrox, the sound of sirens could be heard regularly. Out there in the real world there was a fear that the toxic atmosphere would continue. So much to ponder, then.
Not the football – please, no – but the scenes in the aftermath, the footage that might reveal the precise nature of some of the most unsettling stuff went on, and a wait for what the authorities have to say about it.
Scotland’s Shame and mainstream media playing usual blame game
By Conall McGinty 9 March, 2026 5 Comments
Scotland’s Shame and mainstream media playing usual blame game
I would love to be writing solely on Celtic’s fantastic win on penalties that has led us into yet another Scottish Cup semi final at the expense of our biggest rivals the Rangers, but there is something more important that has to be discussed first…
Scotland’s Shame
The win at Ibrox was momentous and I will definitely get around to doing another article about that later but there is a story that takes priority today which needs our full focus and that’s the abhorrent behaviour of the Rangers fans and the absolutely fictitious narrative being spread in the mainstream media.
When Tomas Cvancara netted Celtic’s fourth penalty to win the quarter final the majority of Celtic fans, whether they be at Ibrox, in the bar, at home with friends and family or enjoying it anywhere else in the world would have reacted the same way, with unbridled joy at seeing Celtic secure their passage to the next round after an absolutely gruelling 120 minutes full of twists and turns.
The match wasn’t high on quality but what it lacked in that department it certainly made up for in passion and desire.
When a game of such importance ends like that there is always going to be an outpouring of emotion, and in the Free Broomloan stand there was the almost predictable outpouring of some Celtic fans onto the pitch, fans who were desperate to celebrate a huge win with their heroes.
Is it acceptable for fans to enter the pitch at anytime? No it’s not but let’s be honest, we see it multiple times across a season, at a multitude of different grounds, especially in situations like this where it’s a penalty shootout or a late winner.
Celtic celebrations at Ibrox
We even saw their fans do it after their goal in extra time that ended up being ruled out for blatant hand-ball, so we certainly won’t be lectured about fan etiquette by them.
As the Celtic fans celebrated with the players things took a sinister turn when a large amount of fans of the Rangers, mostly made up of their face covered ultras from the Union Bears, stormed the pitch.
These fans knew what they were up to. They only had one thing on their mind and that was violence. Why else would you be hiding your identity under an array of masks that disguised your appearance? Or do they have another reason for turning up to a football match looking like a Smurf, Superman or a Gimp?
The Celtic fans that did enter the pitch celebrated wildly with the players but almost all of them stayed within the confines or the 18 yard box, certainly no one strayed beyond the half way line.
When their fans entered the pitch they charged the length of it to confront the Celtic fans. They then proceeded to attack the Celtic fans in the free Broomloan stand with flares and other items. One of their thugs also physically attacked a Celtic staff member with many other Celtic players and staff members being aggressively confronted.
This was all clear as day for anyone watching. Once again it was the Rangers fans lashing out as they have done on multiple times in the past after a defeat. They couldn’t handle having to watch their biggest rivals celebrate en masse once again in their own stadium. This is how the allocation originally got cut remember. They just cannot fathom watching opposition fans celebrate a win in their own backyard.
The disappointing, yet unsurprising, thing about all this is the post game narrative being set in the media. We all knew what the story would be as we watched it unfold in front of us. It would be ‘old firm fans at it again’. They can never outrightly point the finger solely at the Rangers fans, even when the evidence is as clear as the nose on their faces. It’s always a ‘both sides as bad as each other’ portrayal.
That was all on their fans yesterday. Time after time they get away with their hatred and bigotry. The shameful flags and emblems. The horrific songs stating insulting the Pope and bragging about being up to their knees in blood. The disgusting chants about paedophilia that must be harrowing for any football fan watching who has ever been a victim of such depravity. That’s just the bog standard stuff they partake in every time they play Celtic. The media washes over it constantly by praising the ‘atmosphere’, failing to highlight it’s sectarianism and outright hatefulness.
Yesterday’s display was a step further. It got physical and added another layer of shame. The media however couldn’t wait to write about how loathsome the biggest rivalry in Scotland is. At no point did they explain it clearly, much easier to just put it down as‘both set of fans are as bad as each other’. There is no doubt that there are some bad eggs in the Celtic support. People who cross the line and deserve to be highlighted and punished according. Personally I despise when people mock the Ibrox disaster. It’s as low as you can go and has no place in football, no matter how big the rivalry.
Today however wasn’t a situation where both fans deserve derision. The Celtic fans celebrated with joy whilst a group of their fans stormed the pitch looking for trouble.
Try telling this to the likes of David Tanner or Tom English. The latters article on the BBC Sport website was despicable. It’s a horrendously inaccurate account of events and should be withdrawn by the BBC immediately.
He blames Celtic getting a larger allocation than what they have been getting in recent years. Our fans celebrating caused it. Yes, their fans threw a flare into the area our fans were based, but there were ‘objects’ coming back the other way. Victim blaming if I’ve ever seen it.
How can a large crowd of fans, storming the pitch in masks and making their way to where the opposition fans are housed whilst throwing flares at them not be story?
Or the Celtic players and staff being assaulted not be the headline? No it’s a ‘both as bad as each other’ narrative as usual. Just like it was when a Celtic staff member got glassed at Ibrox. Or when broken glass was put in Joe Hart’s penalty area. Or when glass bottles were thrown into the Celtic fans area? Or the multiple times Celtic players have had objects thrown at them? Nope, it’s always ‘both as bad as each other’.
Celtic should be asking the likes of TalkSport and the BBC to explain themselves and their narratives surrounding the events we witnessed after the game. It’s absolutely amazing that the likes of these broadcasters get asked back time and time again to Celtic Park and Lennoxtown to cover Celtic events after the harm they try to inflict on our club on a regular basis while The Celtic Star and other fan media, who always have Celtic’s best interests at heart, get constantly shunned.
If the people running Celtic really care about the clubs image, then they need to realise who the real enemy is and act accordingly.
At the moment they have their wrong people in their crosshairs.
Conall McGinty
Rangers and Celtic whataboutery be damned as Martin O’Neill’s words hit home
Old Firm shame game was historic in more ways than one
By Alan Pattullo
Chief Football Writer
Comments
Published 9th Mar 2026, 21:30 GMT
Updated 9th Mar 2026, 22:14 GMT
“This is like a scene now out of Apocalypse Now… We’ve got the equivalent of Passchendaele and that says nothing for Scottish football. At the end of the day, let’s not kid ourselves. These supporters hate each other.”
Archie Macpherson, May 1980. Nearly 46 years on, Martin O’Neill provided an equally depressing update on the subject of Old Firm relations. The 74-year-old Celtic manager is the perfect figure to provide an assessment because he has left and then returned. He escaped the asylum and came back. He can gauge the temperature with more devastating accuracy than those of us who might have become inured to the insanity.
“It hasn’t lessened,” he said, referring to the spite following the latest shame game between Rangers and Celtic. “Let me put it this way. And if any of us ever come down to this earth in 500 years, it will be exactly the same. Exactly the same.”
While most of us suspected things would never change, regardless of the initiatives put in place, O’Neill’s words hit home. And they might cause Andrew Cavanagh’s ears to prick up. The Rangers chairman was at Ibrox on Sunday and will have heard the offensive singing about the Pope when the Rangers anthem, Simply the Best, was played before kick-off.
The alternative words were sung as loudly as many in the press seats could remember. The stain of sectarianism has never gone away, but it’s surprising that it has become amplified on the new owners’ watch. Most imagined the Americans would consider such behaviour completely unacceptable in a modern corporate world. They almost certainly do but the suspicion is they have bitten off more than they can chew, both off the pitch and on it.
To be fair, former Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart spoke out strongly following last year’s tifo display that depicted Graeme Souness with a rifle, underneath which ran the words: ‘Take Aim Against The Rebel Scum’. A club statement admitted it “crossed a line” and was “unacceptable”. Stewart is no longer chief executive after not even lasting a year in the role.
People come, people go. The fortunes of either side go up and down. And through it all, things just stay the same. It’s why Macpherson’s words, so descriptively uttered as the 1980 Scottish Cup final descended into chaos as Rangers and Celtic fans clashed in front of the legendary commentator, came to mind on Sunday. Perhaps O’Neill’s own take might endure as long. His words are just as depressing. They also underline how little has changed other than there are fewer bottles and more superhero masks.
The latest sorry spectacle was another Scottish Cup tie. Ostensibly, the stakes weren’t as high this time around. A quarter-final is not a final. Silverware was not on offer. It wasn’t the showpiece end to the season. It wasn’t even the only Old Firm match played inside the previous seven days. Tension was high, as always on such occasions. But this game differed from any other Old Firm clash in one crucial aspect: it was the first time a meeting between the sides was decided by penalties at one team’s own ground.
Hampden has been the setting for such never-jangling scenarios in the past. Not that this justifies what went on afterwards. The meeting might be remembered as historic for another reason: the last Old Firm match where such a large allocation of away fans is permitted. Will away supporters be allowed full stop in upcoming matches? What a wretched step back. What a ghastly own goal at a time of such positivity and interest in Scottish football.
Arriving at Ibrox on Sunday 90 minutes before kick-off, a sense of uneasiness was palpable. A flare shot into the air startled a police horse as Rangers fans gathered further down Edmiston Drive. Uneasiness abounded. The horses were there because the Celtic team buses – yes, there were two – had arrived shortly beforehand, sparking the usual barrage of abuse. Elsewhere, we later learned, Celtic fans forced open the disabled access doors to the Broomloan Stand and swarmed in, ticket or no ticket. Then there’s the graffiti scrawled across surfaces and walls, including reprehensible references to the Ibrox disaster of 1971. The idea that the offences were perpetrated by one side and not the other is fantasy although I have read wise people whom I otherwise respect try to argue this. Whataboutery be damned. Flares were fired by both sets of supporters with little care for the potential serious consequences.
Later, a much-loved building lay smouldering in the centre of Glasgow, a reminder of the destruction a single spark can cause. Bricks and mortar aflame. Landmarks may crumble but old prejudices prevail, as Macpherson put it so powerfully nearly five decades ago.
Five Questions for Chief Constable Jo Farrell after trouble at Ibrox
By Conor Spence 12 March, 2026 6 Comments
Five Questions for Chief Constable Jo Farrell after trouble at Ibrox
A senior Scottish police official has rebuked Celtic and the Ibrox club for not publicly denouncing the conduct of their supporters following the disturbances at the weekend.
Meanwhile we have five questions for Chief Constable Jo Farrell….
Chief Constable Jo Farrell urged both clubs to take stronger action, including measures to remove their respective ultra supporter groups.
Farrell is the latest figure to speak out after chaotic scenes unfolded following the Scottish Cup quarter-final clash. The encounter ended in a 0-0 draw before the Hoops secured a sweet victory through a penalty shootout.
Post-match, supporters from both sides entered the pitch. Police are also investigating an incident involving a member of Celtic’s backroom staff who appeared to be assaulted by a Rangers supporter. Separate incidents of disorder were reported in areas surrounding the stadium.
Police Scotland confirmed that nine individuals have been arrested so far and warned that additional arrests are expected as investigations continue.
The chief constable discussed the situation while appearing before the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee, where the events at Ibrox were raised during proceedings.
She said: “The events of Sunday afternoon were absolutely disgraceful and I condemn the people involved in violence. Fans, families, friends, people working at the clubs, my officers, do not go to and work within that environment to witness or receive or be on the receiving end of threats and violence.”
Referring to the intense media discussion that has followed the incident, Farrell also pointed out that neither club has issued a public statement addressing the matter.
“When we got to Monday evening, there was still no commentary from either of those clubs in respect of the violence that was witnessed,” she said. “Nobody came out to condemn that violence.”
Farrell was later asked on whether the clubs should consider restricting ticket allocations to ultra supporter groups as a potential step towards preventing similar incidents in the future.
She said: “That would seem like an obvious action that needs to be considered and taken by the clubs.”
“How do they ensure the safety of their broader fan base and eliminate those individuals who come in and have prepared the balaclavas and the pyrotechnics in order with the intent of causing disruption, harm to those other people around them.”
Police Scotland have plenty of questions to answer themselves after the events on Sunday. Here are a few but there will be many more.
Why did Police Scotland use the same entry procedures for the Celtic support from the previous week when the allocation was much smaller at 1800 when they could have used the tried and tested procedures that were successfully implements at Ibrox for Rangers v Celtic games for decades where the Celtic support had the full Broomloan Road stand?
Why did Police officers instruct some Celtic buses to park on Helen Street causing serious risks which could have resulted in a fatality?
Why was there not a pile cordon in place in front of the Broomloan Road and Copeland Road (which houses the Rangers ultra group the Union Bears) stands at the end of the match?
Did Police Scotland discuss these matters with Rangers in advance and has there been an element of cost cutting on behalf of the Ibrox club to reduce the cost of policing inside the stadium.
Does Police Scotland accept that they failed to learn the lessons from the Janefield Street crush and that their procedures on Sunday were in danger of leading to a similar dangerous situation re-occurring?
The last words on the Premier Sports commentary on the video above sums up the situation perfectly and in real time.
Premier Sport commentator Rory Hamilton is in no doubt about what he is seeing.
“Supporters [are]making their way on to the pitch at both ends of the stadium, Celtic in celebration, Rangers fans in retaliation.”
Conor Spence
IBROX UPROAR: CELTIC STATEMENT
0
By CQN Magazine on 13th March 2026 Latest News
CELTIC interim chairman Brian Wilson has replied to observations from Scotland’s top cop as he launched a defence of the club’s fans following the mayhem at the conclusion of the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on Sunday.
Tomas Cvancara tucked the fourth and winning penalty-kick past Jack Butland to seal a last-four meeting with St Mirren next month – and, at the same time, spark unruly scenes with fans involved in shocking scenes on the pitch.
Earlier this week, Chief Constable Jo Farrell criticised both clubs for remaining silent on the sorry episode that saw the encounter tagged ‘Shame Game’.
Last night, the home club did have something to say when they promised to weed out the hooligans who wreaked havoc and they also condemned those who mocked the 1971 Ibrox Disaster when 66 fans died after a stairway collapsed.
BEFORE THE BEDLAM…Celtic fans enjoy a ticker-tape reception pre-kick off at Ibrox.
Wilson has now replied and has refused to criticise his club’s followers who spilled onto the pitch following the winning penalty-kick after a two-hour goalless confrontation.
The stand-in club chief, in an eight-minute interview with Celtic TV, said: “My response very much is that I was disappointed by the comments of the Chief Constable because Celtic work very closely with Police Scotland.
“We respect the role of the Safety Advisory Group and when there is evidence of unacceptable behaviours we act against both individuals and groups and all of that is well on the record.
“I think that measuring responses by condemnatory statements isn’t really very accurate. If this could be resolved by statements of condemnation, it would have been resolved decades ago.
“Really, it is actions that matter and the way we, as a club, handle these experiences and the way others handle these experiences.
“I think if you are going to ask for condemnation you have to be more specific and there are certainly things which I would happily condemn and regret but probably the highest profile aspect of this was after the penalty went in and Celtic had won.
“What you had there was a euphoric response from our supporters. It’s not uncommon. In fact, it’s happened on quite numerous occasions this season alone in Scottish football where you have an overspill onto the pitch and that in itself does not normally draw expressions of condemnation.
“Therefore, what I would say about that is that I welcome SFA’s intention to have a full enquiry so let’s look at the evidence.
“If there is evidence of violence or threats of violence, then of course I will condemn that but let’s look at the evidence before we create a false narrative.”
Wilson revealed he met with supporters’ groups who raised concerns over the bottleneck operation that saw visiting fans funnelled through tight police checks.
He continued: “Again, that will be part of this enquiry by the SFA and again, I welcome that. We met this week with the Celtic Supporters Association, a well-established, well-respected organisation which doesn’t raise issues lightly, and they had real concerns about the access to the Broomloan Stand and the departure from previous procedures, which they believed had worked well and a genuine concern about the safety of supporters.
“Again, we didn’t rush out a statement on that because we think the way to address that is through discussion with the authorities, again, an evidence-based approach leading to conclusions about what did go right and what did go wrong and lessons to be learned.
“We take that very seriously and I can assure you that there were people with a lot of experience of attending these games who had genuine concerns for the safety of supporters.
Wilson also took the opportunity to offer an update on the situation concerning the banned Green Brigade.
He added: “On 24 February Celtic proactively arranged a meeting with Glasgow City Council’s Safety Advisory Group, to advocate for the group’s re-entry to Celtic Park in time for this weekend’s match against Motherwell.
“At that meeting, the Club was informed by the SAG that a number of concerns remained that required to be addressed in order to create a pathway for re-entry, relating in particular to acceptance of supporter terms and conditions, and the stewarding and safety operation within the section.
“Club representatives again met Green Brigade representatives this week, outlining the proposals required to address concerns highlighted by the SAG and recommending their acceptance.
“In short, the expectation is that the Green Brigade demonstrates a willingness to co-operate with safety and security requirements, as required by Police Scotland and the SAG.
“That would allow the Club to advocate re-entry of the group to Celtic Park, through further liaison with the Council’s Safety Advisory Group.
“We have communicated the SAG’s requirements to the Green Brigade and await a response.”
Celtic are due to play Motherwell in another Premierip encounter at Parkhead tomorrow with a 3pm kick-off.
Supporters’ Update
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/12/Supporters–Update/
Club News
By Celtic Football Club
Share
12 Mar 2026, 8:15 pm
Following Sunday’s match at Ibrox Stadium, the Club has taken time to review matchday events and today Celtic Interim Chairman Brian Wilson addressed a number of issues, speaking to Celtic TV.
The Club has concerns about access arrangements prior to the game and had raised a number of these in advance of the game. We have since met representatives of Celtic Supporters’ Association who reinforced serious concerns on grounds of safety, which we will address with Police Scotland, the SFA and Rangers FC.
Brian stressed the club’s commitment to co-operate with any review of events, including the one announced by the SFA, while very clearly stressing that any conclusions and subsequent actions need to be evidence based.
There are clearly serious issues to be addressed and examples of unacceptable behaviour which require appropriate responses.
Separately and following two meetings with representatives of the Green Brigade, Brian provided an update on recent developments.
On 24 February Celtic proactively arranged a meeting with Glasgow City Council’s Safety Advisory Group, to advocate for the group’s re-entry to Celtic Park in time for this weekend’s match against Motherwell.
At that meeting, the Club was informed by the SAG that a number of concerns remained that required to be addressed in order to create a pathway for re-entry, relating in particular to acceptance of supporter terms and conditions, and the stewarding and safety operation within the section.
Club representatives again met Green Brigade representatives this week, outlining the proposals required to address concerns highlighted by the SAG and recommending their acceptance. In short, the expectation is that the Green Brigade demonstrates a willingness to co-operate with safety and security requirements, as required by Police Scotland and the SAG.
That would allow the Club to advocate re-entry of the group to Celtic Park, through further liaison with the Council’s Safety Advisory Group. We have communicated the SAG’s requirements to the Green Brigade and await a response.
Youth football coach charged with assault after Rangers v Celtic game
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpw0lrd984qo
Several police officers raise their batons as they stand on the pitch at IbroxImage source, PA Media
Image caption,
Nine arrests were made after the Rangers v Celtic match at Ibrox
Published
12 March 2026
A youth football coach has been charged with assault after Rangers and Celtic supporters invaded the pitch following Sunday’s Old Firm match at Ibrox.
Marc Spence, 47, was charged in connection with an assault on a coach and player at the end of the Scottish Cup tie.
Glenbuck & Douglas Valley Football Academy, based in South Lanarkshire, shared a statement on social media confirming Spence was no longer a part of the club.
It read: “After Sunday’s incident, the coach is no longer part of the academy. We will not be commenting any further on this.”
More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland
More stories from Scotland
Spence is one of nine people who were arrested and charged after the game, which Celtic won on penalties.
A 54-year-old man was charged with assaulting a police officer.
Three other men, aged 20, 23 and 54, have also been charged in connection with the serious assault of a man on Helen Street after the match.
All are due to appear in court at a later date.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 47-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with an assault on a coach and player at the end of the match.
“He was also released to appear at a later date.”