Aberdeen vs Celtic Prediction: Bhoys will roar to another treble in Scottish Cup Final

The 140th edition of the Scottish Cup pairs Celtic and Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday in a showdown you can follow live on BBC Scotland from 15:00 GMT. Brendan Rodgers’ side are the current holders and strong betting favourites to retain the crown.

Will the Hoops live up to expectations and secure a record-breaking treble? Will Aberdeen salvage something from their season by lifting the trophy to upset the odds? Betfred’s Frank Monkhouse previews the action, offering us his two best betting tips for the match as we go through his Aberdeen vs Celtic Predictions...

Following a narrow win over Rangers in the League Cup final Old Firm derby, and a cakewalk in the Scottish Premiership, Celtic are potentially 90 minutes away from lifting another domestic treble. To succeed, they must defeat Aberdeen, something they’ve achieved with ease twice already this year, resulting in a ridiculous 10-2 aggregate score. Most pundits, ex-professionals, sportswriters and betting traders expect more of the same.

Aberdeen journey from the Granite City to Glasgow, hoping to salvage their season. Despite promising much in the early exchanges, Jimmy Thelin’s men staggered to a fifth-place finish in the league. The Dons lost each of their last four matches, surrendering the prize positions to third-placed Hibs and Dundee United in fourth. The critics are gathering, with a large section of the support already predicting that the Swedish manager they hailed as a hero less than a year ago isn’t the long-term solution. A trophy would change all that.

Aberdeen vs Celtic Odds

The defending champions and the challengers meet for the sixth time this season, following four in the Premiership and one in the League Cup. The form shows four wins for Celtic, one draw and none for Aberdeen. The aggregate score stands at Celtic 19-4 Aberdeen, and that stat goes some way to explaining why Betfred traders are almost certain the trophy will remain in Glasgow.

You can back Celtic to beat Aberdeen without the need for extra-time or penalties at 3/10 with Betfred. That’s sure to appear in plenty of weekend accumulators.

Can Aberdeen spoil the party? The Scottish Cup is the oldest existing national football trophy in the world, first awarded way back in 1874. In that time, fans have witnessed more than a few shock results and giant-killings. But few come close to Queens Park’s extraordinary win over Rangers at Ibrox this season. The Spiders’ win shows anything is possible in this tournament, and after beating Queens Park 4-1 in the quarter-finals, Aberdeen hope for another unexpected result.

Fancy the underdogs? You can back Aberdeen to win at odds of 17/2 or try your luck on the draw at 9/2. Two great prices, but I don’t expect either to attract much attention.

Over 3.5 goals

The final of the national cup competition is traditionally a low-scoring affair, with both teams stifled by nerves and the weight of expectation. The last saw Celtic beat Rangers 1-0, with the Gers ending 0-0 vs Hearts in 2022 before winning it in extra time. The temptation is to follow the stats and bet another game low on goals, but I much prefer to place my trust in the head-to-head trends.

Celtic and Aberdeen have shared over 450 minutes of football this term, meaning there will be no sparring. These sides know exactly what to expect, allowing them to get down to business from the first whistle. Celtic beat Aberdeen 6-0 at this stadium just six months ago, and I expect another high-scoring afternoon. Over 3.5 goals would’ve landed you a profit in four of the five meetings this term, and eight of the previous ten. Add over 3.5 goals to your weekend accumulators and celebrate every strike.

Maeda to score first

Looking for a bet at bigger odds to help make Saturday’s Scottish Cup final special? I’m picking Celtic’s star attacker Daizen Maeda to score the first goal of the match. The 27-year-old from Japan has scored five goals past the Dons already this season, including a hat-trick in that thumping 6-0 League Cup win. He’s made for the big occasion, and another star performance is worth a bet.

Maeda last found the net in a 5-0 win over St Johnstone in the semi-finals at Hampden. He netted a double that day, proving he’s as comfortable at the national stadium as he is playing in front of an army of fans at Celtic Park. Rodgers will send his team out to attack Aberdeen from the first whistle, and I’m picking Maeda to get things moving for the champions.

Good luck if you follow my picks, and enjoy the final. I’ll see you all for plenty more winners next season when the Scottish Premiership returns in August.

Frank Monkhouse covers Scottish Football for us here at Betfred Insights. You can check out all of his work along with that of the rest of our Football Betting Tips desk on our main Football page...