Celtic reinstated to Champions League Play Offs

Celtic will play Slovenian champions NK Maribor for the Champions League play-offs at Murrayfield having been awarded a 3-0 win on the night after Legia Warsaw were forced to give up their 2-0 win in Edinburgh on Wednesday night for fielding an ineligible player.

This means that Celtic won the tie on the away goals rule after an aggregate scoreline of 4-4.

UEFA ruled that Bartosz Bereszynski, a late substitute for Legia at Murrayfield, was not eligible to play as he was still suspended.

He was sent off for violent conduct against Apollon in the final match of Legia’s Europa League campaign last season and was given a three-match ban.

The defender missed both legs of last month’s second qualifying round against St Patrick’s Athletic as well as the first leg against Celtic in Warsaw as he had not been named as a registered player in Legia’s squad for the St Pat’s matches he was not considered to have served any of his ban.

The dates for the play-off ties against NK Maribor are scheduled to take place on August 19/20 and August 26/27 with the second leg taking place in the capital.

BK Maribor are no strangers to Edinburgh having knocked John Hughes’ Hibs out of the Europa League 6-2 on aggregate, winning 3-0 in Slovenia then 3-2 at Easter Road in front of the brand new East Stand.