Celtic fans fume at Scottish FA decision after Rangers fans 'riot'
Celtic fans are furious that the Scottish FA have ordered the club to play their next home Scottish Cup match behind closed doors.
Announcements were made on Friday that both Old Firm sides will face the same punishment and will have to pay £100,000 to the team that they are drawn in this fixture.
A second match stadium closure will be triggered if there is any trouble at a Scottish Cup fixture until the end of the 2027/28 season.
This is following crowd disorder in the derby last season when both sets of fans invaded Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final after Celtic won on penalties.
However, Hoops fans feel this punishment is unjust, especially considering the disproportionate number of Rangers fans on the pitch in comparison.
As a result, this decision has caused fury among the fanbase, with many believing that Celtic are being unfairly punished.
Celtic fans rage at Scottish Cup stadium ban
Both Celtic and Rangers have already had rotten weeks.
The Old Firm sides have endured embarrassing defeats in Europe, and this latest decision from the SFA has only served to rub salt in the wounds.
Therefore, with tensions already high among the Celtic fanbase, supporters were quick to unleash their anger on the SFA’s decision, with some even suggesting that the club may look to appeal the ban.
Old Firm derby likely to have bigger stakes this season
While the Old Firm derby has always been a high-stakes game, this season could see it launched to a new level.
Rangers’ exit from Europe means that domestic football is all they have, with the derby already blocking their passage into the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup.
On top of this, Celtic’s poor performance in Europe could also see domestic football be given a bigger priority for the rest of the campaign.
Therefore, with both sets of fans desperate for a result in what has already been a terrible season, pressure is already mounting ahead of the next clash.
However, it remains to be seen who will come out on top in both of the derbies next month, with both Martin O’Neill and Derek McInnes needing a win to boost morale.