Aug 28 (Reuters) - 'Old Firm' rivals Celtic and Rangers must play their next home Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors after clashes between the Glasgow clubs' fans following this year's quarter-final at Ibrox.
Fans, some of them masked, swarmed onto the pitch and hurled flares after Celtic won 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the March clash. Celtic had been given a full allocation of 7,500 tickets for away fans for the first time in eight years.
The Scottish FA said in a statement on Friday that both clubs will also have to pay £100,000 ($135,800) in compensation to their next visiting cup opponents.
A second match closure for either club will be triggered if there is any further unrest at a Scottish Cup fixture before the end of the 2027-28 season.
Celtic said in a statement they were shocked by the "disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration" and were considering their next steps.
"Our club has never defended supporters entering the field of play and we have repeatedly taken action when it occurs. However, we understand the part emotion plays in football and would have expected the context and distinction in behaviours to have been taken into account by the panel."
Celtic also pointed out that they were not the home club responsible for stadium safety.
An independent review published last month found failings at both clubs and also criticised the Scottish FA for not being tough enough in tackling such unrest.
Both clubs are due to enter the competition at the fourth round stage in January.
Celtic and Rangers have both endured nightmares in Europe this week, with the former blowing a 4-0 aggregate lead to lose 5-4 to Austria's LASK and fail to qualify for the Champions League group stage, dropping down to the Europa League.
Rangers crashed out of Europe altogether on Thursday after losing their Conference League playoff 4-3 on penalties to Czech side Jablonec.
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(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Toby Davis)
