Barry Ferguson Predicts Rangers Fans’ Chants Will Give Them Edge Over Celtic”

There’s only really been one major talking point ahead of Rangers vs Celtic on Sunday afternoon at Ibrox.

It’s the final Glasgow derby of the season and the Hoops have already been declared champions of the Scottish Premiership for a fourth year in a row.

Only personal pride and city bragging rights are on the line in Govan, as Celtic look to prevent Rangers from winning three derbies in succession.

Traditionally, in the game after a team is confirmed champions of the Premiership, the opposing side would provide Celtic with a guard of honour on their way out of the tunnels.

But understandably, that is extremely unlikely to occur at Ibrox.

Kris Boyd sees no guard of honour for Celtic this weekend, but Danny Murphy says it’s important for Rangers to provide one for their great rivals.

Celtic’s Rodgers honest opinion on Rangers guard of honour

So what does Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers think? In 2021, whilst Leicester City boss, Rodgers said: “My feeling always has been that you should always show humility, and class and be a sporting team.”

Here’s what he had to say in 2025 ahead of this weekend: “The guard of honour thing, it’s not a rule, that’s the first thing I would say”, Rodgers told Sky Sports reporter Gordon Duncan at Lennoxtown.

“It’s not in the rules that you have to do it. And I think that when two clubs in the rivalry are so emotional, it’s always difficult for the team that comes up short. So it’s one that I’m relaxed either way on it.

“It’s one where I’m a little bit of a traditionalist, because there’s a lot of things that are going out of our game over in these isles that are just moving away from the traditions of the great managers and the great people that ran our game and were successful in our game.

“And I always think if you’re a champion to show, or not a champion, showing that humility to the other team, whatever the rivalry is, it’s a mark of respect. But like I said, Celtic vs Rangers, it’s an emotional rivalry.

“And if you come up short quite a lot, then it can be a challenge for you and to justify that with your supporters. But as I said, I’m a traditionalist.

“These are the things that have been in our game for many, many years. And like I said, there’s no rule to it, but I’m relaxed either way on it really.”

What does Rangers boss Barry Ferguson think?

Sky Sports scampered south to Auchenhowie to ask the same question to Barry Ferguson, who spoke in front of the cameras at the Rangers Training Centre.

He said: “I don’t know why there’s always a big clamour about a guard of honour, it’s never happened in the past, whether it’s Celtic, whether it’s Rangers. I think it’ll always just remain that way.

“Celtic are champions for a reason, because they’ve been the most consistent throughout the season. But in terms of a guard of honour I don’t see it.

‌“It’s never happened in the past. So why should it happen going forward?”