Celtic v Motherwell: 2018 Scottish Cup final – live!

19 May 2018 12:41
Updates from Hampden Park as Celtic seek double-TrebleSign up to The Fiver, our daily football emailAnd why not email Barry or tweet @bglendenning 1.41pm BST Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon has been declared fit after missing his sides last three matches with a knee complaint. Defender Jack Hendry is cup-tied for the holders, having played for Dundee in his final game before signing for Celtic in January. Nir Bitton, Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hayes miss out through injury.Motherwell have fitness concerns over defender Peter Hartley, who is only just back in training after recovering from a foot injury sustained in December. Their midfielder Andy Rose has a calf strain, but may feature, while James Scott may play through the pain of a broken toe. On loan from Celtic, Nadir Ciftci can’t face his parent club, while George Newell, Craig Tanner and Ellis Plummer also miss out through injury. 1.41pm BST Related: England's World Cup hopes, Everton and trigonometry – Football Weekly Extra 1.40pm BST The Guardian’s Scottish football correspodent tweets . There really is no case at all for Motherwell to win this cup other than Celtic having an absolute shocker. There's too much of a gulf between the teams. 1/7 to lift the trophy rather says it all. 1.40pm BST In something of a break from tradition for this venerable competition, the Scottish Cup sponsors have drafted in boxing’s most famous ring announcer, Michael Buffer, to introduce the teams and whip the crowd into a baying frenzy ahead of today’s game. Speaking to the Daily Record, the be-tuxedoed LA-based 73-year-old spoke of the origins of his famous catchphrase. “When I was starting out the announcers would name everyone from the boxing board at ringside and by the time they got to the fighters they were almost an afterthought,” he said. “I wanted to let people know the formalities were done and it was time for what they’d paid to come and see. I tried a few other expressions first – things like ‘man your battle stations’ and ‘fasten your seatbelts’ – but nothing. I remembered something Muhammad Ali used to say at weigh-ins: ‘I’m ready to rumble’.” So now we know. 1.40pm BST Talking about his team’s bid for back to back domestic trebles, the Celtic manager said: “It’s a brilliant chance for us. I never say to the players ‘you’ve got to take this chance because it will be the only chance in your life’ because part of me thinks ‘do you not think you can do it again?’. So I never really go down that route with players, but there’s no doubt there’s an opportunity to write another chapter in the great history of the club, there’s no doubt about that.” 1.40pm BST Having drawn with Celtic twice at Fir Park in the league this season, Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson has grounds for optimism and has said there’s little point in his team of underdogs travelling to Hampden unless they feel they can win. “We certainly are not turning up just to make up the numbers,” he said earlier this week. “The belief is not ill-founded, really. Constantly we search through teams that have caused them problems and a lot of the footage was us. There is nothing to lose for us. We are going to give absolutely everything. I’m sure the Celtic players will focus on a one-off game.” 3.03pm BST Barry will be here shortly. Continue readingreadfullarticle

Source: TheGuardian