Celtic fined for a variety of incidents in the draw with Atlético.
Sanctions include a €17,500 penalty for ‘provocative message’.
Celtic has been fined €29,000 (£25,000) for problems involving its fans during last month’s Champions League stalemate at home against Atlético Madrid.
Uefa fined the team €17,500 for displaying “a provocative message of an offensive nature”. European football’s governing body also fined their supporters €8,000 for blocking public pathways and €3,500 for lighting pyrotechnics.
Atlético Madrid was also punished, with the Spanish club fined €3,000 for fans igniting pyrotechnics and receiving a warning for “improper team conduct” following the 2-2 draw at Celtic Park on October 25.
Celtic fans ignored the club’s request not to bring flags or banners related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, with many Palestinian flags hoisted by supporters at the game. Uefa has verified to the BBC that this was not the reason for the fine.
The current fines are Celtic’s third in three Champions League matches this season. The team was fined €23,400 when fans let off pyrotechnics in the stands before their group opener against Feyenoord in Rotterdam.
Following their second match at home to Lazio, the Scottish Premiership leaders were fined €20,000 for inflammatory banners and €3,500 for the usage of explosives among their fans.
Following a series of disagreements and flashpoints, the club has recently come into conflict with the Green Brigade, a fan group. Members of the Green Brigade are still barred from entering Celtic Park and are not eligible for away match tickets. The matter was further discussed at the club’s annual general meeting on Wednesday.
“We all want Celtic Park to be packed with Celtic fans, but it must be done safely,” stated the club’s CEO, Michael Nicholson. “We’ve had safety worries about that group for a while, and they’ve become worse this season. It was not a decision made lightly, but rather for safety.
Celtic have also informed supporters heading to Rome for next Tuesday’s Champions League match against Lazio that any flags, banners, and drums must be pre-approved by the Italian club.
A message posted on social media by Celtic’s fan relations officer, John Paul Taylor, on Tuesday read: “We have been advised that flags, banners, and drums must be pre-approved prior to Tuesday’s match.” Taylor stated that photographs should be delivered to him by Thursday to ensure timely approval.
This article supersedes an earlier version, published on November 22, 2023, and based on material from another news source, which stated that Uefa penalised Celtic after fans waved Palestinian flags. Uefa confirmed that this was not the reason for the penalty imposed.
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