THE SUGGESTION that Celtic’s focus goes beyond their meeting with Atletico Madrid tonight was endorsed by Neil Lennon’s unwillingness to risk Scott Brown and Anthony Stokes. Brown, who has an ankle problem, and Stokes, who has a thigh strain, have been left in Glasgow by their manager, undoubtedly with the Old Firm match on Sunday in mind.
Celtic gained a late reprieve in European competition after Sion, who defeated them in the play-offs, were excluded for fielding ineligible players. “The league is always your bread and butter, it is the main priority but it is a bonus to be in Europe, a chance for the players to get experience,” said Johan Mjallby, the Celtic coach.
Sion are refusing to take their expulsion quietly and retain public hope of facing Udinese on September 29th, when the next set of Group One games are scheduled.
Meanwhile, a Hearts fan cleared of assaulting Lennon was jailed for eight months yesterday for a breach of the peace amid a “highly volatile” atmosphere during a game between the two clubs.
John Wilson (26), was also handed a five-year football banning order after he charged towards Lennon and shouted and swore at him in the May 11th game at Edinburgh’s Tynecastle stadium. A sheriff told Wilson his actions that night, amid an already “tense” and “poisonous” atmosphere between the two sets of supporters, had “serious potential consequences”.
“It has to be clearly understood by you and others that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and will be punished, and punished firmly, by the courts,” Sheriff Fiona Reith QC told him at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Television viewers looked on as Wilson, from the city, invaded the pitch and charged towards Lennon during the crucial Premier League game.
The incident unfolded after Celtic went two goals up. After a three-day trial last month, a jury found Wilson guilty of conducting himself in a disorderly manner, running on to the pitch, running at the away team dugout, shouting, swearing, causing disturbance to the crowd and breaching the peace.
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