No Old Firm ban for Celtic manager Rodgers

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be in the Ibrox technical area for next month’s Old Firm derby away to Glasgow rivals Rangers after being handed an immediate one-match ban for criticising match officials following a recent game against Hearts.

Rodgers spoke out after champions Celtic’s 2-0 Scottish Premiership loss at Tynecastle on March 3, with the Northern Irishman saying the “level of incompetence” made him fear for the game.

The former Liverpool boss singled out referee Don Robertson and video assistant John Beaton, with Yang Hyun-jun’s early red card and a controversial penalty for handball against Tomoki Iwata his main complaints.

Rodgers was handed a one-game ban by the Scottish Football Association with another one-match ban suspended until the end of the season. 

“Two match suspension applied as follows: One match immediate and one match suspended until the end of season 2023/24. Suspended sanction applicable only should Brendan Rodgers further breach Disciplinary Rule 72 within this period,” said a statement on the SFA’s website.

That means Rodgers will not be on the touchline for the Premiership match at Livingston on Sunday but will be in the technical area for the key game against Rangers at Ibrox on April 7.

Premiership leaders Celtic currently top the table by a point from Rangers, who have a game in hand.