Police have revealed they faced “extreme hostility and violence” after chaotic scenes broke out during a pitch invasion at Ibrox following Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final victory over Rangers.
Police condemn ‘shameful’ scenes at Ibrox
Several arrests were made after tensions erupted in the aftermath of Celtic’s penalty shoot-out triumph over their Old Firm rivals.
Trouble began when Rangers supporters from the section housing the Union Bears ultras rushed toward the Broomloan Stand. The confrontation followed celebrations from around 7,500 travelling Celtic fans, some of whom ran onto the pitch after Tomas Cvancara scored the decisive penalty.
Flares were reportedly thrown between both groups of supporters as police officers and stewards scrambled to form a barrier in an attempt to keep the rival fans apart.
During the disorder, officers detained a supporter while Celtic players – including match-winner Tomas Cvancara – moved toward an area where an incident involving a member of their backroom staff had occurred.
Footage from the scene appeared to show Celtic right-back Julian Araujo being pushed by a Rangers fan before he managed to run toward the tunnel. There was also a brief confrontation involving Nedim Bajrami and a member of Celtic’s staff.
Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Kate Stephen strongly criticised the behaviour witnessed after the match, describing it as “shameful.”
“A number of arrests have already been made, and Police Scotland will work alongside both clubs and the Scottish Football Association to carry out a thorough investigation into the incidents that occurred on the pitch at full-time,” she said.
Stephen added that officers and stewards had been subjected to sustained hostility and violence, with some individuals carrying items that appeared intended to cause harm.
“Officers and members of the public were injured in this despicable display. I would like to thank all officers and staff who were deployed,” she added.
The investigation will also examine reports that some supporters entered the Broomloan Stand without tickets before kick-off, which reportedly caused disruption to security operations. Authorities are also looking into allegations of offensive graffiti referencing the 1971 Ibrox disaster.
Ferguson and Neville disagree on Scotland’s best atmosphere
While the Old Firm rivalry is widely regarded as one of the fiercest in world football, debate has long raged over which club boasts the most electric atmosphere.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who began his managerial career in Scotland, once said Celtic Park offered the greatest atmosphere he had ever experienced.
“Parkhead is the best I’ve experienced,” Ferguson once said, recalling how players like Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo had also been stunned by the atmosphere inside the stadium.
However, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville offered a different view, insisting that Ibrox produced the most incredible atmosphere he had ever witnessed.
“The best atmosphere I’ve ever seen in my life was Ibrox,” Neville said, describing the noise inside the stadium at kick-off as “unbelievable” and “staggering.”
Sunday’s clash marked the first time since 2018 that Celtic supporters had received the full Broomloan Stand allocationat Ibrox. However, following the disorder at full-time, it now appears unlikely that such a large away allocation will return anytime soon.
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