SPL Name Day For Old Firm

Apr 6 2008 By Gavin Berry

RANGERS face a crunch clash with Celtic in between their two UEFA Cup semi-final ties if they dump Sporting Lisbon.

And the SPL decision is similar to the one that sparked fury from Celts five years ago.

The post-split fixtures aren't announced until Tuesday but MailSport can reveal the final Old Firm derby is scheduled for the weekend of April 26/27.

SPL chiefs have again arranged it as early as possible after the split to avoid any possibility of a title decider. But it could fall in the middle of Gers' last-four clash against either PSV or Fiorentina.

In 2003 Celtic accused the SPL of bias and hypocrisy after being made to play at Ibrox less than three days after the second leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final against Boavista.

Gers could now be faced with a similar scenario if they beat Sporting with the Euro semi taking place on April 24.

But the Ibrox club won't try to have the derby date changed.