Celtic Escapes Fan Ban for Bayern Munich Clash: UEFA Imposes Fine Instead

Celtic Football Club has narrowly avoided a ban on their fans attending the crucial Champions League play-off second leg against Bayern Munich. This decision comes after a recent incident where a smoke bomb was thrown onto the pitch during their game at Aston Villa on January 29th.

UEFA, the governing body of European football, has issued Celtic a €10,000 (£8,400) fine for the incident involving fireworks, but decided against imposing a ban on fan attendance. This fine is in addition to a previously imposed two-year suspended ban on selling tickets to away fans, which remains in effect following an earlier incident at Borussia Dortmund in October.

Celtic had previously cautioned their supporters about the potential consequences of their actions, especially in light of making travel arrangements for the Munich game. The club now looks forward to hosting Bayern Munich at Celtic Park for the first leg of the play-off tie on February 12th, with the return leg in Germany scheduled just six days later.

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges football clubs face in managing fan behavior, especially in high-stakes matches. Celtic's management and fans alike will be hoping for a focus on the game itself, as they prepare for this significant European encounter.