Report says Celtic's Ryan Christie was labeled a close contact due to PS4 games with Stuart Armstrong

By David Walton

October 8, 2020

A report in the Scottish Sun has outlined why Celtic’s Ryan Christie has had to self-isolate for 14 days.

The Celtic attacker is scheduled to miss the upcoming Glasgow derby against Rangers after Scotland team-mate Stuart Armstrong contracted Covid whilst on international duty.

The SFA released a statement yesterday stating that both Christie and Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney would have to self-isolate. This was due to the fact they were identified as “close contacts”.

Ryan Christie celebrates scoring for Celtic / (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

And the Sun has stated that this is because all three players were playing Playstation games with each other in the Scotland team hotel.

Yet whilst this would perhaps make sense, the Sun also reports that Christie and Tierney said they were all using different consoles and obeying strict social distancing guidelines.

Players and clubs right to be angry if social distancing was obeyed

Both players as well as Celtic and Arsenal would have every right to be disappointed if the strict guidelines were followed.

After all, why have Christie and Tierney been identified as close contacts yet the rest of the squad hasn’t? If social distancing rules were followed, then it makes the self-isolating duo just as at risk as the rest of the squad.

The players are now set to miss vital games for both club and country, so you can understand why Celtic want all of the details on what exactly happened here.

Ryan Christie in action for Celtic / (Photo by Steve Welsh/Pool via Getty Images)

Christie released a statement via Celtic’s official website last night, where he said: “I am so disappointed by the events of today and the potential effects on my country and club.

“As I’ve operated within these protocols for such a long time, I’m well aware of all the rules. Social-distancing from team-mates has become the norm and something I’ve observed.”

The Sun reports that both Celtic and Arsenal want answers as to why they’ve been identified if social distancing was followed. You feel like you haven’t quite heard the last of this just yet.

In other news, an exciting Celtic starlet could leave for nothing in just three months’ time.