A Shot at Immortality
Celtic head into this year’s Scottish Cup final on the brink of making yet more history. A win at Hampden would seal a world-record ninth domestic treble, their sixth in the last nine seasons, and underline an era of near-total dominance over Scottish football and Old Firm rivals Rangers.
It’s been a season of milestones for the Hoops, who overtook Rangers as Scotland’s most decorated club in terms of major honours. Now, Brendan Rodgers’ side stands one game away from adding yet another glittering chapter to their modern legacy.
Aberdeen’s Uphill Battle
Standing in their way are Aberdeen, who limped to a fifth-place finish in the Premiership after a promising start. Under new boss Jimmy Thelin, the Dons opened the campaign with an 11-match unbeaten run, highlighted by a win over Rangers and a comeback draw at Celtic Park.
But their form collapsed post-Halloween, and a late-season slump saw them overtaken by Hibs and Dundee United, missing out on a Europa League spot.
The cup, then, is Aberdeen’s final lifeline to continental football. But it’s a steep hill to climb.
Form Guide and Head-to-Head for Scottish Cup Final
Celtic in Command
The numbers are brutal. Celtic finished 39 points ahead of Aberdeen, are unbeaten in their last seven games, and haven’t lost a Scottish Cup final since 2002. Aberdeen, by contrast, ended the season with four straight defeats and are winless in their last 30 meetings with Celtic in a run stretching back to a May 2018 win at Celtic Park.
Their last cup final clash with the Glasgow giants? A 2–1 defeat in 2017, as Celtic won the first of four consecutive Scottish Cups.
Momentum vs. Belief
For Celtic, momentum is real. They haven’t lost a Scottish Cup tie since an extra-time semi-final defeat to Rangers in 2022, and captain Callum McGregor remains undefeated in every domestic final he’s played.
For Aberdeen, it’s all about belief. They haven’t lifted the Scottish Cup since 1990. On Saturday, they’ll need to conjure something special to break that 34-year wait and halt Rodgers’ relentless Celtic machine.
Road to Hampden
Aberdeen’s Path
- Fourth Round: Elgin City 0–3 Aberdeen
- Fifth Round: Aberdeen 3–0 Dunfermline Athletic
- Quarter-final: Aberdeen 4–1 Queen’s Park
- Semi-final: Aberdeen 2–1 Hearts (AET)
A strong start was capped by a controversial but spirited semi-final win over Hearts, despite the Gorgie side being reduced to nine men.
Celtic’s Campaign
- Fourth Round: Celtic 2–1 Kilmarnock
- Fifth Round: Celtic 5–0 Raith Rovers
- Quarter-final: Celtic 2–0 Hibernian
- Semi-final: Celtic 5–0 St. Johnstone
Aside from an early scare against Kilmarnock, Celtic cruised to the final with three dominant wins and three clean sheets. A 6–0 League Cup demolition of Aberdeen earlier in the season will give them further confidence heading into Saturday.
Key Players
Aberdeen
Kevin Nisbet
If Aberdeen are to have any chance, they need their on-loan number 9 to be clinical. Nisbet has scored 14 goals in 37 appearances and is their best hope of finding the net.
Other threats:
- Leighton Clarkson – Set-piece specialist with a dangerous right foot
- Shayden Morris – Offers pace and directness on the flank
Celtic
Daizen Maeda
The relentless Japanese forward has bagged 33 goals this season, earning the 2024–25 PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year award. A constant goal threat, Maeda will be key to Celtic’s attacking thrust.
Callum McGregor
The heartbeat of Celtic’s midfield, McGregor dictates tempo and has never lost a domestic final he’s played in.
Cameron Carter-Vickers & Alistair Johnston
Celtic’s defensive backbone. The duo will be vital in shutting down Aberdeen’s sporadic threats and ensuring the treble dream becomes a reality.
Scottish Cup Final Thoughts
As the curtain falls on another dramatic Scottish football season, Saturday’s final offers a fitting climax: Celtic, chasing history and further silverware under Brendan Rodgers, face a desperate Aberdeen side with everything to prove and nothing to lose.
The odds are stacked against the Dons, but in the magic of the cup, nothing is ever certain. One side stands to etch their name into legend; the other, to defy expectation and end decades of hurt. At Hampden, only one story will be written – but both are worth telling.
