Celtic - reinstated into the CL

[kinboshi]

Celtic back in the CL because their opposition fielded an illegible player for 3 minutes at the end of the second leg.

A tie Celtic lost 6-1 on aggregate.

Bonkers.

[Ironside]

Ruling was 2nd leg became a walk over 3-0 to Celtic so they get through on away goals, knockout stage later team wins 4-0 first leg then sends out a bunch of 18 year olds puts on a suspended player with 2 mins left and win tie 4-3 and get to rest there squad

[Pawprint]

The daft thing is that it comes down to the fact that Legia didn't register the player for the previous tie,so although they thought he had now sat out 3 games, in UEFA's eyes it was only 1 game he'd missed.

Seems very harsh indeed.  They've kept him out of 3 games, as per the suspension.  It all sounds a but corrupt if yo ask me (not on Celtic's part, the only thing they have done wrong is getting turned over 6-1 on aggregate).

[TightEnd]

I thought Celtic were the better team.

[kinboshi]

Don't they submit the players to UEFA before the match?  Can't they put the names into a computer and see if any are illegible and then tell the team before the game?  Accepting the team-sheet with the players before the game means someone at UEFA should get a slap.

I guess the fact he played 3 minutes is largely irrelevant.  He was on the team-sheet, and 'could' have been brought on after the first minute I guess?

[horseplayer]

Doesnt matter it was three minutes or thirty three minutes they broke the rules.

Correct decision and once again proves that Uefa are not anti British despite what we are told.

[Pawprint]

Don't they submit the players to UEFA before the match?  Can't they put the names into a computer and see if any are illegible and then tell the team before the game?  Accepting the team-sheet with the players before the game means someone at UEFA should get a slap.

I guess the fact he played 3 minutes is largely irrelevant.  He was on the team-sheet, and 'could' have been brought on after the first minute I guess?

Completely agree with this.  I thought every Champs League game has a designated UEFA representative present.  Every player has to be registered, and therefore must have some sort of UEFA Registration number.  It's a five minute job to log the two squads numbers and look for green ticks or red crosses as to eligibility.

Although Legia have broken the rules, it does appear that there was no intention to break this rule and more of an oversight not to have registered the player for the previous tie (which they chose not to name him on the team sheet for as they knew he was suspended, and the same goes for the first leg of the Celtic game).

Surely common sense should prevail here ?

[arbboy]

Ruling was 2nd leg became a walk over 3-0 to Celtic so they get through on away goals, knockout stage later team wins 4-0 first leg then sends out a bunch of 18 year olds puts on a suspended player with 2 mins left and win tie 4-3 and get to rest there squad

This is exactly why common sense should prevail otherwise any team with a 4 goal lead would be quite within their rights to do this and just take the 'fixed' penalty.

[kinboshi]

Doesnt matter it was three minutes or thirty three minutes they broke the rules.

Correct decision and once again proves that Uefa are not anti British despite what we are told.

Thought they were anti-English, not British? Hence the referendum in Scotland...

[horseplayer]

Doesnt matter it was three minutes or thirty three minutes they broke the rules.

Correct decision and once again proves that Uefa are not anti British despite what we are told.

Thought they were anti-English, not British? Hence the referendum in Scotland...

They are neither but if they were this would have been the ideal opportunity

[doubleup]

Ruling was 2nd leg became a walk over 3-0 to Celtic so they get through on away goals, knockout stage later team wins 4-0 first leg then sends out a bunch of 18 year olds puts on a suspended player with 2 mins left and win tie 4-3 and get to rest there squad

This is exactly why common sense should prevail otherwise any team with a 4 goal lead would be quite within their rights to do this and just take the 'fixed' penalty.

Why do you keep saying "common sense"?  It's a completely clear rule.  It might be redic, need changing, etc etc.  But "common sense" has nothing to do with it.

[arbboy]

Because 'the rule' will be abused in the way illustrated if UEFA enforce it strictly and in absolute terms.  Surely you can see that?  You go 4-0 up why would you ever take the 2nd leg seriously and risk losing the game and/or risk player injuries for no reason?

[horseplayer]

The rule has been in place for ages and never been abused

[TheDazzler]

Because 'the rule' will be abused in the way illustrated if UEFA enforce it strictly and in absolute terms.  Surely you can see that?  You go 4-0 up why would you ever take the 2nd leg seriously and risk losing the game and/or risk player injuries for no reason?

I presume this point is invalid. If you win the first leg 4-0, then field all ineligible players in the 2nd leg and lose 5-0, I presume the 5-0 counts. I could be wrong but that seems logical.

In any case, when Pool won the Champs League in 2005 they finished 5th in the Prem and didn't qualify for the following seasons Champs League.
UEFA then changed the rules to allow defending champions to compete.
So there is precedent for allowing 'common sense' prevail.

[TheDazzler]

I just think it's particularly unfortunate for Legia as they mullered Celtic over both legs. Having said that, if Celtic had won the 2nd leg 2-0 (and lost 4-3 on aggregate) and then this rule was invoked, I don't think there would have been as big an outcry.