Red card Celts star’s wife targeted by trolls
Barrage of hateful messages follows hubby’s sending off in Old Firm clash
NIR Bitton’s wife has been bombarded with abusive messages following the Celtic star’s sending off during Saturday’s tense Old Firm clash. The 29-year-old was shown a red card after he was judged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity when he brought down Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos in the 62nd minute of the crunch Premiership tie. While Celtic fans aired their frustrations at the club’s 1-0 loss over social media, vile trolls sent the footballer’s partner abuse over Instagram. Bar Bitton told followers that she received “many” awful messages following the match.
She shared a screen-grab of one message, which called for Bar and her husband to be “hanged”, while adding further abuse to the married couple’s two children.
The message read: “Here you ya cow, you and yer husband deserve tae be hung on the streets.
“F*** you and yer wains.”
Celtic players also received a torrent of sectarian abuse as they entered Ibrox stadium for the clash on Saturday afternoon.
Crowds of bigots shouted anti-Catholic slurs at the Hoops players as they spilled out of their team bus and into the stadium. Police made no arrests in connection with the incident.
But both clubs were united on the pitch as Rangers and Celtic came together to remember those who died in the Ibrox stadium disaster 50 years ago.
Captains James Tavernier and Callum McGregor carried wreaths on to the pitch as both sets of players observed a minute’s si lence to remember the 66 who did not come home following the 1971 tragedy.
Fans and officials from both clubs also left floral tributes at the stadium.
Rangers extended their lead at the top of the Premiership table after the closely contested win over their Glasgow rivals. Celtic boss Neil Lennon said he was “bitterly disappointed” with the decision to send off Bitton.
The 49-year-old slammed referee Bobby Madden and claimed the result may had been different without the red card.
Celtic lost the only goal of the match eight minutes after Bitton was given his marching orders. Lennon said: “We’ve been done by a pretty poor refereeing decision.”
Police made no arrests after Rangers fans gathered outside Ibrox to celebrate the victory.
Clips emerged online of groups of supporters setting off fireworks and flares shortly after the final whistle.