Hoops hit with Uefa fine for supporter’s assault on PSG striker

CELTIC have been fined £8,900 after a one-man pitch invasion against Paris St Germain.

Uefa’s disciplinary body has handed out the punishment after a fan ran on and aimed a kick at PSG striker Kylian Mbappe during the Hoops’ 5-0 Champions League defeat at Parkhead on September 12.

The supporter, 21-year-old John Hatton from Portadown, was taken away by stewards after failing to make contact with the teenage forward, on loan from Monaco.

Hatton, who wept in the dock during an appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court, was sentenced to community service after admit- ting assault and behaviour likely to incite public disorder.

He was also banned from every football ground in the UK by Sheriff Sukwinder Gill.

Fellow Celtic fan Anthony Lavelle, 61, was arrested during the game and fined £400 for assaulting Hatton as he was led away from the Parkhead pitch.

PSG have also been punished following the hearing, which took place last Thursday. The French champions received a fine of £4,445 after some of their supporters broke seats at Celtic Park.

The fine is the 12th Celtic have received from Uefa for supporter behaviour inside six years. Their previous punishment was a £20,000 fine in July for crowd offences during the home qualifier against Linfield, including the display of a banner featuring a paramilitary-style figure.

Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers has, meanwhile, revealed assistant referee Frank Connor came looking for him to apologise for the penalty Hibernian were awarded in Saturday’s Betfred Cup semi-final win.

Asked about the officiating over the weekend, Rodgers said: “Over the two games I would be disappointed.

“The only thing I would say is the young linesman came in after the game and apologised so that takes courage to do that.

“He was looking for me but I was at my press conference so I didn’t get the chance to speak to him but he came in to apologise and said to Dedryck Boyata that he made a mistake. That takes a lot for someone to do that. Thankfully it didn’t cost us but he made a mistake and owned up to it and thankfully we had a great reaction and saw the game out.”

Steven McLean was in charge at Hampden Park on Sunday where Rangers defender Fabio Cardoso was left with a broken nose after clashing with Motherwell’s Ryan Bowman.

Rodgers recalled the Well striker’s challenge on Kieran Tierney at Celtic Park last season which only brought a booking as he called for officials to keep aggressive play in check.

Ahead of the trip to Aberdeen in the Ladbrokes Premiership tomorrow night, the Carnlough man said: “I thought there were a couple of decisions that would have worried me. I thought the authority from the officials was poor.

“I could see why Pedro (Caixinha, Gers boss) was probably annoyed because there were a couple of incidents there that went unpunished.

“You maybe would have got away with it in the 80s but certainly not now.

“I have seen the player involved in the incidents, in similar incidents.

“I saw an incident with Kieran Tierney at Parkhead last season that went unpunished.

“We all want our team to be aggressive and committed but there is a line and that is up to the officials to see that and act accordingly.”