Fans set for derby mania in April with up to six city clashes involving Hearts, Hibs, Celtic, Rangers, Dundee and Dundee United

Scottish football fans are poised for a pulsating April with up to six derby matches involving Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Dundee and Dundee United.

Derbymania was confirmed on Monday night when the Scottish Cup semi-final draw paired Rangers with Celtic and Hearts with Hibs.

In addition to league derbies already scheduled for next month, that means five big-city derbies will take place inside the one month. That number could rise to six after the Premiership split.

The top flight fixture list already shows that Rangers will host Celtic at Ibrox on April 3. The following weekend on April 9, Hibs visit Hearts and the two Dundee clubs meet at Tannadice.

Six of Scotland's biggest clubs will take part in Derbymania during April.

Then come the Scottish Cup semi-finals on April 16 and 17, both of which will be staged at Hampden Park. Those five games will likely have a major bearing on a number of key issues this season.

Rangers and Celtic are in a race for the title, while Hearts, Hibs and United all covet European qualification. For Dundee, the only priority is striving to avoid relegation at the bottom of the Premiership.

A potential sixth derby in April could transpire after the aforementioned split. Scottish Professional Football League officials would likely be keen to avoid a title decider between Celtic and Rangers due to safety concerns, so their post-split derby could take place at the earliest opportunity.

That would mean the teams facing off at Celtic Park on the weekend of April 23 and 24.

Post-split fixtures won’t be confirmed till the middle of next month but, either way, a derby feast for supporters is guaranteed during April.

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