Celtic’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, has reiterated his call for the club’s supporters to stop using pyrotechnics, with the Bonfire Night Champions League visit of RB Leipzig raising fears of a Uefa ban.
Supporters’ use of fireworks during last month’s 7-1 defeat by Borussia Dortmund led to Celtic being fined by Uefa and told their fans will be banned from attending an away fixture if there is another such incident within two years. The warning was heeded when Celtic drew away to Atalanta two weeks ago, but kick-off was delayed at Saturday’s Scottish League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen after yet another Celtic pyro display. Uefa is keeping a close eye on the matter.
Rodgers, who has called fans who use fireworks selfish, wants no repeat of Saturday evening’s scenes at Hampden Park when Leipzig visit Glasgow on Tuesday. “It’s just exactly what we said before, it’s not something that we really want to see,” he said. “There’s that sanction hanging over the club and we really don’t want that.” Should Rodgers be ignored the away travel ban would likely apply to Celtic’s trip to Zagreb in December.
More endearing is Celtic’s Champions League position. That well-earned point in Bergamo means the Scottish champions have taken four points from three outings. Pressure is on Leipzig after the Bundesliga side lost their first three matches, most recently at home to Liverpool.
“I think Leipzig will be no different to Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund, a top team right towards the top of their league,” Rodgers added. “They have everything that you would want in a top European side. Speed, strength, power, technique.
“It’s a brilliant challenge for us and we’re really looking forward to it. Obviously we have been away for the last couple of games, we are on the back of a really good result against Atalanta we are back home and we’re really excited by that. Of course you come into this fourth game then they’ll be obviously desperate to get points on the board. But thankfully we are too and that should mean for a really, really fantastic game.”
“I think what Atalanta proved to the players at the very highest level, we can do that but it really takes a big concentration, it takes a big commitment and it takes a togetherness,” added Rodgers. “How they were all synchronised in their actions and moving up the pitch and being tight and filling in spaces, they were very, very good. So it will be the same, we’re going to need moments of that and then that earns you the right to then play.”
