NafisaPolice Scotland have revealed that one person was arrested during Sunday’s Old Firm clash at Celtic Park, with the details of the alleged incident now emerging.
The highly anticipated meeting between Celtic and Rangers ended with the visitors celebrating once again, as Ryan Naderi’s first-half strike secured a 1-0 victory for Derek McInnes’ side.
It was Rangers’ second consecutive victory over Celtic in the space of just eight days, following their 3-0 triumph at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup.
But away from the football itself, there was also a police presence around another fiercely contested Old Firm encounter.
And officers have now confirmed that an arrest was made during the match.
According to Police Scotland, a 39-year-old man was arrested following an alleged assault involving medical staff and police officers.
The man is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday.
The revelation adds another incident to what was already an intense afternoon at Celtic Park, although the number of arrests was considerably lower than during the previous Old Firm meeting at Ibrox.
One arrest made during Sunday’s Old Firm
Police Scotland confirmed that officers made one arrest during the Celtic-Rangers fixture.
The 39-year-old was arrested following an allegation that he assaulted both medical staff and police.
He is expected to appear before Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday in connection with the incident.
The arrest came as Celtic Park hosted its second Old Firm fixture in just over a week, with the previous meeting at Ibrox having also resulted in several arrests.
That September 13 fixture saw four arrests, including one following an alleged assault on a police officer, while other incidents involved alleged sectarian abuse, threatening and abusive behaviour, resisting arrest and breach of the peace.
Sunday’s fixture, therefore, passed without anything approaching the number of arrests recorded at the previous meeting.
Nevertheless, the latest confirmation means the game was not entirely free from off-field incidents.
And inside the stadium, there was already plenty of tension.
McInnes and Fotheringham clash early on
Just minutes after kick-off, attention turned towards the Rangers and Celtic dugouts following an incident involving Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez.
Fernandez was booked after pulling down Celtic forward Camilo Duran during an early Celtic attack.
McInnes was visibly unhappy with something surrounding the decision and became involved in an increasingly heated exchange near the touchline.
Celtic first-team coach Mark Fotheringham then became involved as tensions rose between the two benches.
The confrontation eventually resulted in both McInnes and Fotheringham being shown yellow cards.
It was an extraordinary way for the match to begin, particularly given the history between the two men and the intensity surrounding the latest Old Firm meeting.
The flashpoint also provided an early reminder that Sunday’s encounter was never likely to be a quiet afternoon.
Rangers leave Parkhead with another victory
Ultimately, however, the biggest talking point on the pitch belonged to McInnes and his Rangers players.
Naderi’s 33rd-minute finish proved to be the difference between the teams as Rangers secured another precious victory over Celtic.
It completed a remarkable eight-day period for the Ibrox club, having already defeated their rivals 3-0 in the League Cup quarter-final the previous weekend.
Celtic remain top of the Premiership despite Sunday’s defeat, but their advantage over Rangers has now been reduced to just two points.
For Martin O’Neill, the result capped a particularly difficult period after Celtic also suffered a 3-1 Europa League defeat to Ferencvaros during the week.
For McInnes, meanwhile, the victory represented another major boost to Rangers’ title challenge.
But the confirmation of an arrest means that, away from the pitch, there was another incident for Police Scotland to deal with during an already highly charged Old Firm afternoon.
The 39-year-old is now due before Glasgow Sheriff Court, while Rangers and Celtic supporters are left to digest another derby that produced drama both on and off the pitch.
Nafisa
