Old Firm cup clashes moved behind closed doors
Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers must play their next home Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors after clashes between the Glasgow clubs' fans at this year's quarter-final at Ibrox.
Fans, some of them masked, swarmed on to the pitch and hurled flares after Celtic won 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the March clash. Celtic had been given a full allocation of 7,500 tickets for away fans for the first time in eight years.
The Scottish FA released a statement announcing that both clubs will also have to pay 拢100,000 ($377,890) in compensation to their next visiting cup opponents.
A second match closure for either club will be triggered if there is any further unrest at a Scottish Cup fixture before the end of the 2027-2028 season.
A Celtic statement read that it was shocked by the "disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration" and was considering its next steps.
"Our club has never defended supporters entering the field of play and we have repeatedly taken action when it occurs. However, we understand the part emotion plays in football and would have expected the context and distinction in behaviours to have been taken into account by the panel."
Celtic also pointed out that it was not the home club that is responsible for stadium safety.
An independent review published last month found failings at both clubs and also criticised the Scottish FA for not being tough enough in tackling such unrest.
Both clubs are due to enter the competition at the fourth round stage in January.
Celtic and Rangers have both endured nightmares in Europe this week, with the former blowing a 4-0 aggregate lead to lose 5-4 to Austria's LASK and failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage, dropping down to the UEFA Europa League.
Rangers crashed out of Europe altogether after losing its UEFA Conference League play-off 4-3 on penalties to Czech side Jablonec.
