Roma, Villareal lose out on Champions League spots

Celtic ‘s passage into the Champions League group stage last night earned their Premiership rivals a cool £200,000 apiece.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton insists Celtic’s run to the Champions League group stage is good for Scotland even though the lucrative run could help their Glasgow rivals’ Premiership title bid.

Scott Sinclair, James Forrest and Patrick Roberts all travel to Israel as Celtic face Hapoel Beer Sheva in the second leg of their Champions League play-off.

(UEFA prohibits messages “of a political, ideological, religious or provocative nature” at its matches.) When the fans defied the warning-displaying dozens of Palestinian flags during the August 17 match-UEFA slammed their team with displaying an “illicit banner”, a charge expected to carry a hefty fine when the case is heard on September 22.

Leading 5-2 from the home leg in Glasgow Celtic flew by the seat of their trousers before a dogged defensive display eked out a place in Thursday’s group stage draw for the first time in three years.

“It was one of the biggest solidarity actions in European football history, it was fantastic, and we wanted to thank them for that, that’s why we posted the video”. “We’re just going to enjoy the draw [on Thursday]”.

Elsewhere, Monaco kept their composure to down Spanish side Villareal 1-0 at the Stade Louis II while Celtic, who had thumped Hapoel 5-2 on home soil, were made to battle hard in Israel.

And the former Celtic striker does agree that Rogic needs to last a full 90 minutes, with building up his stamina key. “It wasn’t the best performance in the world”.

The group says it plans to donate most of the money to two pro-Palestinian charities. “The way he has been playing recently is outstanding”, he said. So huge applause to them and I’m delighted they got their reward’.

Hapoel looked like a side transformed after a poor display in the first leg and they soon found themselves with a chance to take the lead when Saidy Janko was deemed to have brought Ofir Davidzada down inside the area, only for Craig Gordon to keep out the penalty from Maharan Radi.

“At some stage, I want to be involved in the Champions League”. It is brilliant, a great achievement for everybody here and we managed to make it.