Brendan Rodgers hits out at pyro antics amid fears that Celtic fans could be banned from Bayern Munich trip

Brendan Rodgers has hit out at the Celtic supporters whose shameful pyro antics left the club fearing they’ll have no fans to back them against Bayern Munich in Germany. And he says the club’s latest disciplinary notice from UEFA should be a line-in-the-sand moment for those who continue to ignore all warnings. After flares were set off against Borussia Dortmund earlier in the Champions League campaign, the Parkhead club were fined £17,000 and handed a suspended one-game ban on selling away tickets. That ban would come into play if there was a repeat in the following two years.

With a smoke bomb thrown onto the field during Wednesday’s 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa, Celtic have received a further disciplinary notice from the governing body. While the outcome is not yet known, the club have warned fans against making travelling arrangements. Rodgers remains hopeful that a ban on away fans for the second leg of the play-off on February 18 can yet be avoided. Celtic supporters threw a smoke bomb on to the  pitch  at Villa Park on Wednesday night.

Brendan Rodgers remains hopeful that a ban  on Celtic  fans in Munich can be avoided. Celtic received a suspended one-game ban on away fans after flares were let off in Dortmund. However, he said: ‘Clearly, that’s not decided yet, but it’s serious enough for the club to put that statement out. ‘For those Celtic supporters that genuinely bond with their team and have travelled, near and far, over many, many years, to even be at risk of not going tells you the culmination of events that have taken us to that point.

‘We would never want to get to a point where we go into a game of such magnitude and we can’t take our support base or have the opportunity for our supporters to come. I would hope it wouldn’t but, if it takes something like that, then it has to change. ‘The football club can’t keep paying hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fines.’. Asked if he was hopeful the ban could yet be avoided, Rodgers added: ‘I think the club will always fight for our supporters, that’s what they will do.

‘It’s been a catalogue of events. It’s not just that one, to put you in that position where it’s in the balance whether you’re going to be able to go and watch your team or not. ‘We have a chance to change it, and not just accept it, because it’s not acceptable. Our supporters are amazing, and we want to keep it that way.’. In terms of the tie, Rodgers is relishing the prospect of taking on the Bundesliga leaders and six-time European champions.

He added: ‘It’s brilliant. We’ve earned getting to the play-off stage. The players have been outstanding over the eight games and that qualifies us to play one of these top teams.’. Rodgers is encouraged by the resilience his players showed in the six matches that followed their last trip to Germany — the 7-1 loss to Dortmund in October. ‘The key message for me this season, and what we wanted to see, was progress,’ he added.

‘There’s no doubt the team have progressed over the course of the competition. ‘I was so proud of the team the other night, because what we clearly showed against Aston Villa was that our spirit was just not broken. ‘Our only disappointment was we just didn’t quite have our (full) squad there to really affect the second half of the game.’. Rodgers confirmed that a January move for Kieran Tierney is now unlikely, with Celtic and Arsenal so far unable to agree a deal which would see him return to Glasgow ahead of his agreed summer move.

Asked if there had been a change in circumstances, he replied: ‘Yeah. I won’t speak any more on it. Kieran, by the summer, will be a Celtic player. And that’s it. And if he’s here later in the month, you’ll know.’. With Olympiakos closing in on a loan deal for Luis Palma, Rodgers hopes there will be additions to his squad before the window closes on Monday. Brondby striker Mathias Kvistgaarden is a prime target, as is Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter.

‘We’re hopeful of improving the squad, that is key for us,’ added Rodgers. Cameron Carter-Vickers is poised to return against Motherwell on Sunday in a match which should see skipper Callum McGregor make his 500th Celtic appearance. ‘It tells you absolutely everything about his professionalism, his commitment, his quality and his example that he sets every single day of his life,’ said Rodgers.