Celtic stuck with fine - McLeod

Celtic chief executive Ian McLeod has admitted the club cannot appeal against UEFA’s decision to fine them following the El Hadji Diouf incident.

The Liverpool player was handed a two-match ban for spitting on Hoops supporters during last week’s UEFA cup clash between the two sides at Parkhead.

But UEFA ruled that “provocative behaviour” from Celtic fans towards the Anfield player contributed to the incident and fined Celtic £2300 (€3300).

But McLeod insisted Celtic reacted appropriately to the situation and could have done no more to avoid the incident.

He said: “I find it absolutely astonishing – I don’t think Celtic fans acted in a provocative way at all.

“The reaction when Diouf ran into the crowd was in good humour and I don’t think the fine against Celtic was appropriate at all.

“Fines of €5000 or less cannot be appealed so we are stuck with the decision unless we take it to the Court of Arbitration for sport and we won’t be doing that.

“We were astounded by this decision. There was a reaction certainly after their provocation from El Hadji Diouf which was quelled immediately by the steward in an appropriate manner.

“There was nothing more the Celtic people could have done.”

There was no sign of manager Martin O’Neill at Glasgow airport this morning ahead of Celtic’s flight to Liverpool for the second leg of their quarter-final tie.

But striker Henrik Larsson - who netted against the Premiership side last week - admitted being without strike partner Chris Sutton ahead of the game is a blow after he broke his wrist during Sunday's CIS Cup final against Rangers.

He said: “It’s always a big blow when one of your best players gets injured.

“He has been very important for us for as long as he’s been at Celtic so it’s definitely a blow.”