Celtic win marred by missile-throwing as riot police called in
Celtic saw a successful start to their Champions League qualifying campaign marred by missile-throwing from Linfield supporters on a night when riot police with dogs were called in to calm tense scenes at Windsor Park.
Uefa are set to open disciplinary proceedings against the Northern Irish champions after incidents in which bottles and coins were thrown at Celtic players Leigh Griffiths and Jonny Hayes.
Goals from Scott Sinclair and Tom Rogic earned Celtic a 2-0 win to take into the second leg of the second qualifying round tie in Glasgow next Wednesday.
Manager Brendan Rodgers was left bemused when the Spanish referee Alejandro Hernandez booked Griffiths when the striker, while preparing to take a corner, stopped to pick up a bottle and show it to the official.
Griffiths, who was substituted to avoid the risk of a second caution, returned to the pitch at full-time to tie a Celtic scarf around one of the goalposts in front of around 300 visiting fans who secured tickets despite the club’s decision not to take up their
allocation. One Linfield supporter ran onto the pitch after the final whistle, prompting the riot police to move in to prevent any potential escalation.
Rodgers was determined not to let the incidents completely sour his return to his homeland but insisted players should never feel at risk of injury from missiles.
“If that is the case, then there’s always a worry,” he said. “I could only see what I saw from the dugout. It was maybe a bottle of some sort but whether it is a coin, a bottle or whatever it shouldn’t happen.
“The players should have a safe environment on the field and you want the passion from the stands to stay in there. If you take that away, then the evening was a good evening.
“You sometimes get these scenes not only here but throughout the country and it’s obviously not something we want to see. I thought it was strange to see Leigh getting booked for it. I don’t know [if we can appeal it]. We’ll have a look at it and get the thoughts of the officials and see why it happened.”
Linfield manager David Healy insisted he did not see the incidents and defended the general conduct of his club’s fans. “Linfield as a club have made giant strides over the years to try to cut that shouting and abuse out,” said Healy. “But you get that in Old Firm games, you get that in Manchester derbies, you are always going to get a ferocious red hot atmosphere.”