The stage was set for another electrifying Old Firm derby as Celtic made the short trip across Glasgow to face Rangers at Ibrox on March 1, 2026. With the city buzzing and anticipation mounting, the teams took to the pitch for a clash that could have serious implications for the SPFL Premiership title race. Yet, as much as the focus was on the football, the pre-match conversation was dominated by one burning question: who would start in goal for Celtic?
Manager Martin O’Neill, celebrating his 74th birthday, had a big decision to make. The Hoops had just returned from a draining midweek trip to Germany, where they secured a historic 1-0 win over VfB Stuttgart in the Europa League—Celtic’s first ever victory on German soil. That result had given the squad a much-needed boost, but it also left O’Neill with a conundrum: how to manage player fatigue and selection for one of the biggest matches of the season?
In the end, it was Viljami Sinisalo, the 24-year-old Finnish international, who got the nod between the sticks. Sinisalo had impressed with a string of crucial saves in Stuttgart, earning a clean sheet and the trust of his manager. O’Neill explained his decision with characteristic candor, telling BBC Scotland, “He was poorly this morning. We really thought we’d just leave that there if that’s the case because I thought that young Sinisalo had done really well for us on Thursday.”
Kasper Schmeichel, the experienced Danish goalkeeper and Celtic’s first choice since the summer of 2024, was nowhere to be seen on the team sheet—not even on the bench. O’Neill confirmed that Schmeichel was absent due to illness, a late development that left the door open for Sinisalo to step into the spotlight. “Kasper was pretty poorly this morning as well, so we thought we’d leave proceedings here. And really in many aspects it was good that Sinisalo played and played very well on Thursday evening,” O’Neill told Celtic TV.
Ross Doohan, the club’s third-choice keeper, was named as Sinisalo’s backup. The rest of the starting XI featured a blend of experience and youthful energy, with O’Neill making five changes from the midweek triumph in Germany. The lineup read: Sinisalo; Julian Araujo, Dane Murray, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney; Callum McGregor (captain), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Benji Nygren; Yang, Daizen Maeda, and Junior Adamu. Notably, Arne Engels, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston, and Jota were all sidelined with injuries, while Auston Trusty missed out through suspension.
The absence of Schmeichel was felt not just on the pitch but in the stands as well. The 39-year-old had recently come under fire from sections of the Celtic support, especially after a string of errors in the 4-1 defeat to Stuttgart at Celtic Park. Schmeichel was booed by his own fans during that disastrous night, an experience that, according to former Aberdeen and Denmark goalkeeper Peter Kjaer, would have stung. “I was really surprised when I heard the catcalls from Celtic fans towards Kasper Schmeichel. When your own fans are on your back, it is very unusual,” Kjaer remarked. “No matter how we twist it, it’s something that affects a person. That’s how I would have felt.”
Despite the criticism, O’Neill was quick to praise Schmeichel’s contributions. “Kasper has been terrific for me in my couple of spells here. We played Stuttgart on Thursday night, and one of the reasons we did do that is the saves he made against Feyenoord and Bologna,” he said, underlining the veteran’s big-game pedigree. But for this derby, it was Sinisalo’s moment.
O’Neill’s tactical approach reflected the gravity of the occasion. With Rangers expected to press high and feed off the raucous Ibrox crowd, Celtic needed to be sharp in possession and maintain concentration from the first whistle to the last. The manager’s selection balanced control and direct threat, with Maeda and Yang providing pace on the flanks and Adamu leading the line. Set-pieces were highlighted as a potential deciding factor, with O’Neill noting how “one good delivery, one second ball reacted to quicker than anyone else, can decide it.”
The bench offered options for O’Neill to change the game if needed, featuring Doohan, Donovan, Arthur, Saracchi, McCowan, Tounekti, Hatate, Cvancara, and Forrest. Yet, the absences of key players like Trusty, Engels, Carter-Vickers, and Jota meant the Hoops would have to dig deep and rely on their squad depth.
On the other side, Rangers, managed by Danny Röhl, named a strong starting XI: Butland; Sterling, Souttar, Fernandez, Rommens; Chukwuani, Raskin; Skov Olsen, Moore, Naderi; Chermiti. Their bench included Kelly, Meghoma, Djiga, Tavernier, Aasgaard, Bajrami, Gassama, Diomande, and Miovski. With the home crowd behind them and the title race heating up, there was no shortage of motivation for the Light Blues.
The build-up to kick-off was electric, with Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football providing live coverage for fans unable to secure a ticket. The atmosphere inside Ibrox was predictably intense, every touch and tackle greeted with a roar or a groan. Celtic’s recent form in the league had been solid, but the Old Firm derby is always a different beast—a fixture where form can go out the window and heroes can be made in an instant.
As the teams lined up for the noon start, all eyes were on Sinisalo. Could the young Finn handle the pressure cooker of Ibrox and justify the faith shown in him by his manager and the supporters clamoring for change? O’Neill certainly thought so, stating, “He has played here at Ibrox before and apparently he did pretty well so I’m pleased about that as well.”
While the match was still ongoing at press time, the storylines had already written themselves: a veteran keeper sidelined by illness and recent scrutiny, a young understudy seizing his chance on the biggest domestic stage, and a Celtic team navigating injuries and a packed schedule in pursuit of Premiership glory. For now, the action continues at Ibrox, with both sides knowing that every moment could prove decisive in the race for the title.
Stay tuned for further updates and post-match analysis as the dust settles on another captivating chapter in the storied rivalry between Rangers and Celtic.