Score and updates as home fans wave Palestine flags

Despite the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and their associated flags generating controversy, Celtic fans continue to express their solidarity with Palestine. This was evident as they waved Palestinian flags before their match against Atletico Madrid. The atmosphere was electric as the players entered the tunnel after the fans sung “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The historic Celtic Park stadium was adorned with large Palestinian flags, not only in the Green Brigade section but throughout the entire ground.

The match kicked off with Atletico Madrid taking control of the ball while Celtic settled into a defensive shape. Atletico’s right-back Molina had an opportunity to shoot from outside the box, but his shot was wayward and flew over the crossbar. Celtic attempted to counterattack, but an errant pass from Hatate hit his striker Kyogo in the back, resulting in a lost opportunity.

Both teams were well-prepared for the match, with Atletico Madrid fielding a strong lineup including Morata and Griezmann. Celtic, unchanged from their previous victory, showed promising performances in recent games despite not securing wins in their previous home Champions League group matches. The loss against Lazio this season was particularly disappointing as Celtic dominated the game but conceded a late goal.

Before the match, there were talks of Celtic Park’s renowned atmosphere. However, it is surprising to note that Celtic have not won any of their last 11 home Champions League group games. Nonetheless, the club remains hopeful and focused on the task at hand, recognizing Atletico Madrid’s strength and experience in European competitions.

As the match approached, tensions between Celtic and their fan group, the Green Brigade, intensified over the flying of Palestine flags. The club issued a plea to fans not to bring flags and banners related to the conflict to the game. This decision was met with resistance from the Green Brigade, who viewed it as an attempt to suppress political expression. Despite the club’s request, the Green Brigade encouraged fans to “courageously fly the flag for Palestine” and planned to distribute thousands of flags outside the stadium.

This dispute between Celtic and the Green Brigade has strained their relationship, with the club recently suspending the fan group’s ticket allocation for away games. The Green Brigade claims that by preventing them from distributing flags inside the stadium, the club is infringing upon their right to freedom of expression and gestures of solidarity. The club, on the other hand, maintains that banners, flags, and symbols related to the conflict should not be displayed at Celtic Park during this time.