Celtic fans unveil anti-UEFA banner before Ferencvaros clash due to 3.30pm kick-off time

‘Conundrum clue: Fans before TV’: Celtic supporters slam UEFA in Countdown themed banner message over decision to move their Europa League clash with Ferencvaros to a 3.30pm kick-off

  • Celtic defeated Ferencvaros 2-0 in the Europa League on Tuesday afternoon 
  • The game could not take place on Thursday due to Rangers also playing at home
  • UEFA didn’t want the clash to clash with the evening’s Champions League games


Celtic fan groups have expressed their frustration with UEFA by unveiling a banner against the governing body before their clash against Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

Unusually, their Europa League tie was moved to a 3.30pm kick-off on a Tuesday afternoon, when most games in the competition take place on a Thursday.

Before their 2-0 victory, the Green Brigade unveiled a creatuve Countdown themed banner which read ‘FCUK UEFA’.

Celtic fans unveiled a Countdown themed anti-UEFA banner before their Europa League tie

Celtic's victory over Ferencvaros was moved to a 3.30pm kick-off on Tuesday afternoon

Celtic’s victory over Ferencvaros was moved to a 3.30pm kick-off on Tuesday afternoon

Several rows below that a long banner was held out which said ‘Conundrum Clue: Fans before TV.’

As reported by the Scotsman, Police Scotland instructions meant Celtic couldn’t play Ferencvaros at home on matchday four due to the Cop26 climate conference taking place in Glasgow.  

The match was therefore swapped to matchday 3, but the game could not take place on Thursday due to Rangers also playing at home that day against Brondby.

Celtic’s game was therefore moved to Tuesday but was a 3.30pm kick-off as UEFA preferred that the match didn’t clash with the evening’s Champions League games.

A second banner underneath had written 'Conundrum Clue: Fans before TV'

A second banner underneath had written ‘Conundrum Clue: Fans before TV’

With many supporters due to be in work or education at that time, it prompted the banner by the Green Brigade which was unfurled in Parkhead’s standing section.  

Despite the early kick-off time, there was a strong turn-out with over 50,000 fans in attendance at Celtic Park which has a capacity of 60,411.

After two consecutive defeats, Celtic took their first victory of the Europa League group stage.

Kyogo Furuhashi gave them the lead after 57 minutes with Balint Vecsei putting the ball into his own net with nine minutes to go. 

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