As the Old Firm ushers in a new calendar year in 2026, it also offers Rangers a chance to underline just how far they have travelled under Danny Rohl - and how firmly they now see themselves back in the title conversation.
For Rohl, this derby is not just about rivalry. It is about renewal.
“Looking back to 2025, it was maybe not the best year for our supporters, for the club,” he said.
“We have a good chance to have a good start tomorrow - we want to bring the pride back to the club, the success back to the club.”
Rangers arrive at Celtic Park not chasing spectacle, but seeking affirmation - proof that their recent climb is not cosmetic, but sustainable.
The belief behind that climb has been built gradually.
Rohl pointed to the contrast between the side he inherited and the one he now leads.
“When I arrived and we played the first time in the semi-final from the cup, we had just two wins,” he said.
“Now I have the feeling we can really deliver points and wins consistently.”
Consistency, rather than moments, has changed the tone of Rangers season.
Even defeats, like the recent loss to Hearts at Tynecastle, have not derailed them.
Instead, they have responded with wins over League Cup winners’ St Mirren and Motherwell, reinforcing a sense that progress is measured not by single results but by trajectory.
That outlook extends to the title race itself.
Rohl refused to overstate the immediate stakes while still acknowledging their importance.
“I can say at first it’s just three points,” he admitted, “but this game is never just about three points - it will be a big booster again for the way we are at the moment.”
Crucially, he balanced ambition with realism.
“If you can’t win this game, then the season is still on,” he said.
“We need a long run this season.”
That emphasis on accumulation rather than obsession reflects a manager intent on keeping his players emotionally level.
Rangers are not chasing Celtic - they are building something that can last beyond one afternoon.
What underpins that belief is variety.
Rohl spoke candidly about how his team has evolved tactically.
He said: “If it’s not possible in open play, then we use our set play.
“If it’s not possible, then we use transition moments and if it’s not possible to score, then we have clean sheets.”
That adaptability is the hallmark of a contender.
Rangers no longer require games to unfold one specific way to win them.
Perhaps most telling, though, was Rohl’s reflection on mentality.
“When I arrived, we were not sure if we could win games,” he said.
“Now you feel more that we believe that we can win games.”
In a derby defined as much by psychology as football, that shift may prove decisive.
Rangers head into the Old Firm not hoping to belong - but believing they already do.