Celtic, Rangers face closed-door Scottish

Celtic and Rangers must play their next Scottish Cup home matches behind closed doors. Both clubs will also pay £100,000 to their opponents in those fixtures.

The sanctions follow fan disorder during last season's quarter-final at Ibrox. Celtic progressed to the semi-finals by winning a penalty shootout. After the match, supporters from both teams entered the pitch.

An independent judicial panel imposed the punishments. The clubs were charged under Scottish FA disciplinary rule 37, which covers unacceptable conduct. The panel's decision signals a significant shift in how football authorities handle crowd trouble.

The Incident and Sanctions

The sanctions relate to scenes in March after Celtic's victory. Supporters threw fireworks and other missiles. Police officers were injured. Several arrests were made.

The Scottish FA confirmed the penalties. A further incident of "unacceptable conduct" by either set of supporters in a Scottish Cup match could trigger an additional home game behind closed doors. The clubs' next home cup matches are likely to be affected when they enter this season's competition in January. You can see upcoming fixtures for both sides.

Club Reaction and Broader Context

Celtic expressed shock at the decision. The club called the punishment "disproportionate" for what it described as a "relatively small incursion" by fans during a moment of celebration. Celtic stated it has never defended pitch invasions and has taken repeated action. The club argued it was not the home team responsible for stadium safety at Ibrox. Celtic said it will study the panel's full report before considering its next steps. Rangers had not commented at the time of the BBC's report.

An independent review led by Mark Blackbourne was published last month. It concluded the incident came within a "very small margin" of becoming a violent mass confrontation. The report identified failings by both clubs. It also criticised the Scottish FA for not taking a tougher stance on crowd disorder historically.

In the past, fines and reduced ticket allocations were common for issues like pyrotechnics. The severity of these stadium closures marks a change. The SFA has faced its own criticism from the independent review. However, the panel's findings provided the governing body with justification to adopt a stricter approach. The SFA will hope these sanctions send a clear message that such conduct is no longer tolerable. The disciplinary outcomes may influence future standings in cup competitions.

The Blackbourne report highlighted the narrow avoidance of a more serious clash. It scrutinised the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in managing the high-risk fixture.