During Thursday’s Old Firm game, Celtic’s Arne Engels was struck by a coin, causing Rangers to condemn the incident “in the strongest possible terms”. Engels, who was a substitute, fell to the ground and required treatment after being hit whilst taking a corner towards the end of the game. Due to an ongoing dispute about away ticket allocations, no Celtic fans were present at Ibrox. Rangers have pledged to assist police with the investigation.
Celtic released a statement in which they confirmed that Police Scotland are investigating two separate incidents. They added that “the repeated targeting of our players and staff with missiles is quite appalling and completely unacceptable.” Manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Engels was “OK”, but warned that “an inch lower, he would have been [hit] right in the eye.”
The incident occurred near the end of the game, which saw Rangers win 3-0, cutting Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 11 points. The attack on Engels may lead to Rangers facing punishment. Celtic defender Alistair Johnston saw Engels being hit and cautioned “everyone to be smart” when attending matches. He went on to say that “it’s humans out there, someone’s son, so let’s refrain from chucking things at guys’ heads.”
This latest incident highlights an ongoing issue of violence at football matches. It is important that clubs take strong action to ensure the safety of players and fans alike. The use of missiles has no place in football or any sport, and those responsible must be held accountable
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