da imperador bet： This weekend is one of the biggest in the Scottish football calendar. The biggest sides in the country are coming together in two massive clashes to decide who will go head-to-head in May’s Scottish Cup Final.
da esoccer bet： Most of the build-up coverage and chatter has, of course, surrounded the big derby between Celtic and Rangers. However, the other semi-final is going to be no less dramatic as two clubs with massive followings, massive expectations and massive dreams battle it out to play the winner of the much-hyped Old Firm encounter.
Neil Lennon’s Hibernian go up against Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen in what is sure to be a competitive and hard-fought encounter, despite a division separating the two clubs.
Hibs are of course defending champions and, for us, are actually pretty well placed to win the entire competition.
Here are FOUR reasons why…
No more Hampden hoodoo
Hibernian had to wait an incredible 114 years between last winning the Scottish Cup and lifting the trophy last May against Rangers. Supporters had become convinced they were cursed and would never win the competition again having missed out on so many semi-finals and finals.
It would be won in the dying moments of the game when captain David Gray rose to head home the perfect fairytale goal for a 4-3 victory. Never have Hibs fans celebrated so wildly.
Ending that Hampden hoodoo could in turn be the springboard for them to win it again this year. Neil Lennon has retained the majority of the squad from last year’s triumph, so they have a core of a team who know how to win big matches at the national stadium.
Aberdeen in contrast haven’t won the trophy in over 20 years and their fans are beginning to wonder when they’ll taste the sweet glory of Scottish football’s oldest competition.
After waiting over a century for Scottish Cup success, like buses, two may come along at once.
Focus on preparation
Hibernian have wrapped up the Scottish Championship, gaining promotion after having to see the likes of Hearts and Rangers go up ahead of them in recent seasons. They’ll finally be playing top-flight football again.
They now have little to play for in that competition and should they get past Aberdeen that can focus 100% on May’s final. The same can’t be said for Rangers or Celtic.
The Gers are trying desperately to overhaul Aberdeen in the race for second place. Celtic, meanwhile, have found themselves chasing immortality and the prospect of an unbeaten domestic season.
Both clubs also have harder fixtures, having to go up against each other once more alongside the rest of the top six teams in the Scottish Premiership.
The chance for Neil Lennon to rest players and build towards the final with no pressure on his shoulders could be a key determining factor when the final comes around.
One of the best in recent times
Hibernian have been one of the most consistent sides in the entire competition over the last half decade, making the final in three of the last five years and a semi-final in five of the last six. That’s a better record than any other team in the competition. For whatever reason, they seem to know what it takes to get results in the Scottish Cup.
That makes them a very dangerous opponent, not just for Aberdeen on Saturday but for both Glasgow sides.
If they deal with the challenge of Aberdeen they’ll be heading into the final as the most consistent side in the competition over the last few years and that may be enough to give them the confidence and the edge in a match-up that will be full of tension and could be decided by the smallest margins.
Neil Lennon is a born winner
Neil Lennon knows how to win trophies. He won two League Cups with Leicester City and a massive eleven major honours with Celtic when he was a player. As a manager he also won five trophies with the Hoops and he’s romped home to a Scottish Championship win with Hibs too.
In total he’s won the Scottish Cup six times. Hibs haven’t had a manager with this winning pedigree in recent times and the combination of bringing in a manager with a winning mentality with an iconic club could lead them into a new golden era of success.
They’ll be targeting top six in the Scottish Premiership but alongside that they’ll definitely fancy their chances in all the domestic trophies. Can Lennon kick it all off with a famous win in May?