Aberdeen and Celtic will go head-to-head in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday.
Brendan Rodgers is seeking to make it another treble-winning season for the Parkhead club, with Jimmy Thelin intent on claiming silverware in his first season in Scotland.
In the five meetings between the clubs this season, Celtic have been victorious on four occasions, scoring 19 goals in the process.
Aberdeen did claim a point in the first league meeting back in October last year, battling back from 2-0 down to take a point at Parkhead.
Here are our writers' predictions for the Scottish Cup final...
Matthew Lindsay
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3
I would dearly love Aberdeen to surprise Scottish football, emerge from this afternoon’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final against Celtic victorious and lift aloft the famous old trophy for the first time in 35 years.
It would be healthy for the game in the country if there was, after four years of Celtic and Rangers winning every major honour, a little bit of an upset.
However, I think the Pittodrie club have about as much chance of prevailing as Motherwell have of holding onto a manager.
Reo Hatate is certainly a huge loss for Brendan Rodgers’ men. But Paulo Bernardo is a none-too-shabby replacement. The Portuguese midfielder set up the winner in last year’s final.
I think the Parkhead club have too much experience and quality in every area of the pitch to slip up with 30,000 of their supporters cheering them on and I expect them to complete another domestic treble comfortably.
Graeme McGarry
Aberdeen 0 Celtic 3
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has hinted that he may adopt a different approach this time around than the one that saw his side ship five goals to a rotated Celtic side just 10 days ago, but it is difficult to see any other outcome than Brendan Rodgers’ men clinching the treble in convincing fashion.
The Dons may be able to stem the bleeding a little, but there is little prospect of them being able to pull off an almighty shock to win the cup, and Celtic should run out convincing winners in the end to round off a memorable season.
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Matthew Johnston
Aberdeen 0 Celtic 2
If it was not quite written in the stars already, Brendan Rodgers confirmed on Thursday he had at least written it into his script at the beginning of the season: Celtic are heading for their ninth treble.
This may have been a different story if the invincible Aberdeen of mere months ago were on their way to Hampden, but Jimmy Thelin's side have demonstrated this season they aren't equipped to cope with the Scottish champions just yet.
Celtic won't blow them away like in recent league performances, but don't expect a miracle either.
James Cairney
Aberdeen 0 Celtic 3
It’s hard to see anything other than a comfortable win for Rodgers’ men this afternoon.
Pretty much all of the meetings between the two sides this season have been incredibly one-sided, although the Dons’ 2-2 draw at Parkhead back in October offers some hope of an upset.
Thelin’s side were two down at the break that day before they came roaring back in the second half and they could consider themselves unfortunate not to have walked away with all three points.
A similar performance – married to an off-day from the champions – is their only chance of success at Hampden, but it feels remote at best.
David Irvine
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3 (AET)
Aberdeen suffered a bruising defeat last time they faced Celtic at Hampden. It is hard to predict anything different heading into the Scottish Cup final.
However, Jimmy Thelin's side have shown, in spells, throughout the season that they are a capable outfit when on form.
They'll need to be at their best to have a shot of lifting the trophy, but even still, Celtic may well prove too strong.
Aberdeen will give a much better account of themselves, and it wouldn't come as a major shock for them to force it beyond the 90 minutes, but Celtic just have too much strength in depth to look beyond this weekend.
Brendan Rodgers' side have been the best in Scotland by a distance, though, and they'll, eventually, prove it again.
Read more:
Josh McCafferty
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3
It would appear that 2025 is the year of the underdog in football. Newcastle United ended a 70-year domestic trophy drought in March, Crystal Palace last weekend won their first major honour, and Tottenham Hotspur finally secured some silverware as recently as Wednesday evening.
I can’t see this trend of dark horses winning races transpire north of the border, though.
Should they turn up at the national stadium, I fully expect Celtic to wrap up a domestic treble, but don’t expect this tie to be as one-sided as recent meetings between the Scottish Cup holders and Aberdeen have been.
Regardless, Brendan Rodgers’ men should have enough to get the job done and further strengthen their stranglehold on the Scottish game.
Blair Meikle
Aberdeen 0 Celtic 4
Celtic should have a pretty straightforward time of it and end the day with a treble.
They showed the gulf in quality between the two sides at Pittodrie and Aberdeen were unimpressive on their last visit to Hampden.
In fact, their general form towards the end of the season was poor and they'll find it difficult against the country's best team, especially if Brendan Rodgers’ side are in the mood.
How fluent they are could depend on how he decides to line-up and if they plump for Daizen Maeda through the middle flanked by two wingers, they can cause chaos.
