Rangers and Celtic fans have been left baffled over the decision to allow around 9000 fans into Celtic Park for the Hoops’ Champions League qualifier against FC Midtjylland – and the Old Firm giants need to put on a united front and demand answers from the Scottish FA over the ridiculous double standard that saw 12000 fans allowed into Hampden for Euro 2020.
With restrictions in Scotland set to be relaxed to Level 0, the fact that Euro 2020 games took place in Scotland’s biggest city while it was in Level 2 makes things even more baffling.
The Scottish Government has previously tried to bat away complaints over the limit of 2000 for domestic games, citing the “international significance” of Euro 2020 and a British Lions warm-up match at Murrayfield (which had 16000 spectators.)
The regulations regarding social distancing havent been dropped yet, with fans at Hampden, Ibrox and Celtic Park all expected to remain socially distant – yet somehow Hampden’s (with 10,000 fewer seats than Celtic Park) was allowed 3000 more fans in.
After being told to follow the science for so long, there doesn’t seem to be any rational explanation to the apparent double-standard which is in place.
Celtic had pushed for as many as 20000 fans to be let in for the Champions League qualifier with the Danes, pointing to the 60000 fans who attended last week’s Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
When Rangers get their own Champions League campaign underway, the Gers can probably look to get around 7/8000 inside Ibrox despite the similar capacity between Ibrox and Hampden.
Maybe there is some rationale behind the number that, ostensibly, seem to have been plucked out the sky with no rhyme or reason but nobody seems willing to come forward and explain it.
For Rangers and Celtic, enough should be enough.
If there is some increased risk to supporters that didn’t exist a few weeks ago, fans deserve to know.
If there’s not, fans deserve to be inside stadiums.
It’s time Rangers and Celtic worked together to demand clear answers now.
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