Rangers vs Celtic billed as world's 'most intense' derby as ex-EPL man claims only one game compares

For the first time this season, the two Glasgow giants will face off in the last eight of the League Cup this Sunday, hoping to progress to the semi-finals at Hampden Park next month, before they reconvene at Celtic Park just seven days later in the Scottish Premiership.

The first time the two sides have met at Ibrox since Celtic’s penalty shootout win in the Scottish Cup back in March, when fans from both clubs spilled onto the pitch after the full-time whistle following Tomas Cvancara’s winning penalty in front of the Copland Stand, sparking chaotic scenes at both ends of the ground.

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Despite being originally offered 300 away tickets for the game by Rangers, the game will now be devoid of any Celtic fans after the SPFL determined that no away supporters will be permitted for matches under their jurisdiction during the 2026/27 campaign, meaning the September 13 clash at Ibrox, and the league match at Celtic Park the following weekend, will be staged exclusively in front of home fans.

In the aftermath of the decision, Celtic boss Martin O'Neill admitted the away fan lockout felt "inevitable" after a string of escalating ticketing disputes and crowd safety issues, but described it as a "really quite sad" situation, with the presence of away supporters viewed as a vital component to what makes the historic fixture special.

And those thoughts have now been echoed by former Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who admits few games can match the atmosphere generated by Rangers and Celtic fans on derby day in Glasgow. The 55-year-old former USA goalkeeper, who had a brief trial with Celtic as a teenager before signing for Turkish giants Galatasaray in the mid-90s, attended Old Firm battles between the two sides as a spectator during his playing days and believes the game is right up there with the most heated rivalries in the sport.

“In terms of intensity and atmosphere, the only fixture I've seen match Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce was Celtic against Rangers,” Fridel told Jackpot City Casino. “I went to a few times when I had a pal playing for Rangers. It can get very intense inside and outside the ground. If you can play in the Galatasaray vs. Fenerbahce derby, keep your cool, and perform, you can play in any atmosphere in the world. The Istanbul derby is no joke, it's an absolute war on and off the pitch. Sophisticated business men and women just turn into completely different irrational people around this fixture.”

Friedel’s former Blackburn Rovers teammate and TV pundit, Alan Shearer, resonated with the former stopper’s perspective as he shared his thoughts on the away fan ban that has been put in place for the game this season. “It is such a shame there will be no away fans at Old Firm games this season,” he told Betfair. “I've been to loads of Old Firm derbies and they're brilliant occasions, but it can get a bit tasty at times. But unfortunately, the fans only have themselves to blame.

“I get the emotions and everything else and the rivalries and all of that, but it does sometimes spill over the top because I've been there and I've seen it. So, it's such a shame that it's come to this again that there's no away fans. I think it will affect the atmosphere. But it is what it is, and I think for safety reasons that they had to do it.”