Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers finds himself under UEFA’s disciplinary spotlight after receiving a suspended one-match touchline ban for his role in delaying kickoff during February’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.
The continental governing body imposed the sanction along with a €10,000 (£8,340) fine following the 1-1 draw at Allianz Arena, where Celtic were attempting to overturn a first-leg deficit.
This incident marks the latest in a series of disciplinary issues for the Scottish champions in European competition this season.
The Parkhead club had previously been penalized €9,000 (£7,505) for crowd management issues during the home leg against Bayern, adding to earlier fines of £13,000 and £8,400 for similar infractions against Young Boys and Aston Villa respectively.
The suspended ban comes with significant consequences – Rodgers will only serve the touchline suspension if Celtic commit another similar offense in next season’s European competitions.
This disciplinary measure follows the club’s existing two-year suspended ban on away ticket allocations, originally imposed after pyrotechnic incidents during their Borussia Dortmund visit last October.
Rodgers had expressed relief when UEFA allowed Celtic supporters to attend the Bayern Munich clash despite the suspended sanction, acknowledging their importance to the team:
“That was the big worry for me. I was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to travel because they’re such a massive part of this club. The support that we get and the passion that they have for the game, that really drives us and helps us. So to have them there, it’s going to be great and we’ll need them.”
The Celtic boss emphasized the need for improved supporter conduct moving forward:
“I hope that we can get that support, which the majority of supporters give, which is great. It gives us great strength on the pitch. We can follow the rules and not have any more fines or have anything come against the club.”
These comments highlight the delicate balance between maintaining Celtic’s famous European atmosphere and complying with UEFA’s stringent regulations.