Celtic have been fined £13,000 by UEFA for events before kick-off in their Europa League defeat to Stuttgart.
The controversial protest delayed the start of the knockout round playoff first leg, with fans unhappy at the lack of a resolution between the Parkhead hierarchy and the Green Brigade.
Days before the game, Martin O’Neill had hinted at a potential agreement between the parties, saying that progress had been made.
But this wasn’t to be forthcoming, and some Celtic fans protested the situation by throwing tennis balls onto the pitch at the start of the game. UEFA have now sanctioned the club for “throwing of objects.”
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Bhoys Celtic call on the board to end the Parkhead bans.
£13,000 fine for protest by Celtic fans that Martin O’Neill said ‘need their head examining’
After the game, which Stuttgart routed 4-1, a furious O’Neill told TNT Sports: “Anybody who thinks that’s a good idea needs their heads examining.
“There’s no question about it. It sends out totally the wrong message. We are playing against Stuttgart. The game is hard enough.
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“The problem is, way back, some years ago, this was an incredibly intimidating place to come to. Incredibly difficult.
“I’ve managed here when sides like Juventus were scared stiff of coming here. Where top class sides were scared stiff.
“That sort of thing does not help at all. There have been battles going on [between fans and the board] but that doesn’t help.
“All it does do, Stuttgart come to this wonderful football club and find a lot of in-fighting going on and things being thrown onto the pitch… it doesn’t make any great sense to me.
“If I’m a Stuttgart player, I’m thinking I’m pretty happy in this environment, if that’s the case.”
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UEFA have also fined Stuttgart by a larger amount of £19,500 for “transmitting a message that is not fit for a sports event” in the return leg.
The Celtic incident proved divisive among the Parkhead support. Some felt that it had disrupted the pre-match atmosphere on a night of significance in the Hoops’ season.
It hasn’t led to any progress towards its objective either; the wait for the return of the GB still goes on as we approach the end-of-season split.
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