The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Ciftci cited for cup clash with Brown
DUNDEE UNITED striker Nadir Ciftci has received another notice of complaint from the SFA.
After having a separate case found “not proven” last week, this time the Turk has been accused of “deliberately” kicking Celtic captain Scott Brown “upon the head” in Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final at Tannadice.
He has been offered a two-match suspension, with, according to the SFA, “one match to be ser ved immediately, irrespective of competition, and one match to be served in the Scottish Cup.”
Ciftci is already banned for this Sunday’s League Cup final against the Hoops at Hampden after picking up two bookings in that competition.
This latest charge, a supposed breach of disciplinary rule 200, reads: “In that at the above game you committed an act of violent conduct and deliberately kicked an opposing player, Scott Brown of Celtic FC, upon the head.”
Ciftci has until 3pm today to respond to the complaint.
Meanwhile, United’s appeal against the red card wrongly issued to Paul Paton during the quarter-final will be considered at a Hampden hearing tomorrow, under the governing body’s fast-track procedure.
The Tangerines will surely win that mistaken identity case but, in a move that could heighten tensions between the two teams ahead of the final, Celtic last night labelled the absence of SFA action against United midfielder Calum Butcher as “completely illogical and fundamentally unfair”.
The Parkhead club queried why Butcher had not been cited after the Paton appeal.
CELTIC ARE upset that Butcher, who was involved in an incident with Virgil van Dijk, who was redcarded but has now appealed, will be free to face them at Hampden and in the Scottish Cup replay three days later.
Their official club statement read: “Celtic Football Club notes that no action appears to have been taken in relation to Calum Butcher of Dundee United.
“It seems completely illogical and fundamentally unfair that, in an incident where mistaken identity has been claimed, the Dundee United player now identified clearly as being involved in the incident appears to have no case to answer — and would be available to play in the League Cup final and the Scottish Cup replay between the two teams — while Celtic’s player may potentially miss both matches.
“Celtic Football Club andVirgil van Dijk maintain their position that no red card offence was committed byVirgil.
“Virgil will appear at Hampden to put his case on Thursday and we will fully support him in this appeal.”