On Sunday afternoon, Celtic will resume their defence of the Scottish League Cup title by travelling to Fir Hill to face their Glasgow rivals, Partick Thistle, in the quarterfinals.
The Jags advanced past Ayr United with a 2-0 victory in their second-round match, while the Bhoys routed Falkirk 4-1 to reach this stage of the competition.
Preview of the match
In 2024-25, Celtic defeated Old Firm rivals Rangers 5-4 on penalties after an action-packed 3-3 draw, securing their 22nd overall and third in the last four seasons Scottish League Cup victory.
That was the first of two trophies that Celtic would win last season. The Bhoys went on to claim their 55th Scottish Premiership title with a commanding 17-point advantage over the Gers, thereby equalling their Old Firm rivals’ record for top-flight titles.
Celtic have made a promising start to the campaign in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup, with the goal of defending both of their domestic championships. However, they were eliminated from the Champions League in the playoff qualifying round after a penalty defeat to Kairat Almaty.
The Bhoys have yet to lose in domestic competition after six matches, with four victories and one draw in the league, which has secured them the top spot in the standings based on goal difference. Additionally, they secured a significant 4-1 victory over Falkirk in the second round of the League Cup.
Celtic is currently experiencing an unusually turbulent period, despite their undefeated record over 90 minutes after eight games this season. This is due to the underwhelming summer transfer window, which has resulted in ongoing supporter protests. Additionally, their performances have appeared to be deteriorating, despite the results.
Nevertheless, the club’s morale is certain to be bolstered entering this match following their recent nail-biting victory over Kilmarnock, in which new signing Kelechi Iheanacho scored a 96th-minute winner from the penalty spot to secure a 2-1 victory and all three points.
The Bhoys will also be buoyed by their exceptional record against their Glasgow rivals, as Celtic have not suffered a loss to Partick Thistle in their last 33 meetings, dating back to a 3-1 loss in 1995.
Partick Thistle will aspire to end their dreadful Glasgow Derby run against the Bhoys and replicate their legendary 4-1 victory over Celtic in the 1971 Scottish League Cup final, despite their abysmal record in this fixture.
Heading into Sunday’s match, the Jaguars are also experiencing a successful run of form, having won eight, drawn one, and lost only one of their first ten games across all competitions.
Partick Thistle is presently third in the league standings with 10 points, having won three games, drawn one, and lost one. The Jags will be striving to sustain this momentum throughout the remainder of the season as they pursue their first Scottish Premiership return since 2017-18.
At the outset of this campaign, Mark Wilson’s team has demonstrated exceptional strength at their home ground, as they have managed to avoid defeat in all six of their Fir Hill fixtures, which include five victories and one draw.
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