CELTIC are said to be “astonished” with the news Albian Ajeti faces a two-game ban and are prepared to fight the SFA over the simulation charges, as CQN urged in our report yesterday.
The Swiss international striker was sent tumbling after Kilmarnock keeper Colin Doyle went down at his feet in the Hoops’ 4-0 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Tuesday and referee Kevin Clancy awarded a penalty-kick.
Odsonne Edouard duly despatched the spot-kick into the net for the second goal on the champions’ way to three points.
However, Ajeti is adjudged to have dived to win the award and the SFA referee review panel slapped a two-match suspension on him which would immediately rule him out of tomorrow afternoon’s visit from Motherwell and the visit to Paisley to take on St Mirren in midweek.
Sources within Parkhead insist the club are “astonished” by the ban and are planning an appeal which will be heard on Monday. This means Ajeti, who scored only his sixth goal since his £5million summer arrival from West Ham, will be available to team up again with Edouard against the Fir Park outfit.
Thankfully, the SFA saw sense and threw out the ridiculous violent conduct charge against skipper Scott Brown for an inconsequential incident with Killie midfielder Aaron Tshibola.
It was a nonsensical waste of everyone’s time and energy in an attempt to sideline the Hoops skipper for three games, as CQN insisted.
Brown, of course, received a red card in the recent 2-2 draw with Livingston and the club and the player accepted the punishment without argument. In truth, the veteran campaigner’s act was sheer folly and the sending-off seemed the only option for the referee.
The possibility of a two-game suspension for Ajeti doesn’t come anywhere close to being in the same category.
Celtic are right to fight this barmy call.
