CELTIC will face Hibs at Parkhead in the Premier Sports League Cup last-16 on the weekend of August 17/18.
The Hoops were first out of tonight’s draw and the tie is bound to be televised live by the tournament sponsors at a date to be confirmed.
The trophy was the first piece of silverware Callum McGregor got his hands on as Hoops skipper after taking over from Aberdeen-bound Scott Brown in the summer of 2021.
The Hoops, under new manager Ange Postecoglou, overcame the Easter Road side 2-1 to lift the Cup in December that year.
Kyogo Furuhashi, signed from Vissel Kobe for £4.6million five months earlier, was the star of the show with a second-half double after the Edinburgh club had opened the scoring through Paul Hanlon.
HAMPDEN HERO…Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates his double strike against Hibs in the League Cup Final on December 19 2021.
McGregor and his team-mates emulated the feat the following season with an identical scoreline over Michael Beale’s Ibrox side on their way to a historic domestic treble.
There was a stutter last season, though, as the holders went out after losing 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
It was Brendan Rodgers’ first taste of a Cup defeat at the 25th hurdle in his second stint at Parkhead.
Prior to that setback, the Irishman had won the League Cup in three successive seasons – Aberdeen (3-0, 2016), Motherwell (2-0, 2017) and the Dons again (1-0, 2018).
FULL DRAW
CELTIC v Hibs
Dundee United v St Mirren
Aberdeen v Queen’s Park
Falkirk v Hearts
Dundee v Airdrie
Motherwell v Kilmarnock
Rangers v St Johnstone
The Spartans v Ross County