According to reports, this decision highlights the intense rivalry between the two Glasgow clubs. Celtic secured their 13th league title in the last 14 seasons last Saturday, equaling Rangers’ record of 55 league titles—a fact that has heightened tensions ahead of the Old Firm derby.

Ferguson told Sky Sports: “There’s no tradition of a guard of honor, and it’s caused unnecessary controversy before. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t care about it.” He added, “I doubt Celtic’s players care either, so let’s just move on.”

This isn’t the first time such a situation has occurred. When Rangers, under Steven Gerrard, won their 55th title in the 2020-21 season, Celtic’s then-interim manager John Kennedy refused to applaud their rivals.

Ferguson said: “All I’ll do is shake Brendan Rodgers’ hand and congratulate him on their dominant title win. There’s no doubt they’ve been the best team this season. It’s painful for me, the staff, and the players.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, who has won four Scottish Premiership titles in two spells with the club, downplayed the issue: “There’s no rule requiring it. When the rivalry is this fierce, it’s always tough for the team that didn’t win.” He added, “I’ve always believed that humility, regardless of rivalry, is a sign of respect.”