Doors closing across Europe

I watched as passageway surfaces were wiped down at Celtic Park ahead of kick-off on Saturday, an early visible sign that a public health alert is on the horizon.  Actions will not stop at a bucket, cloth and a dash of Dettol.

Games are already being played behind closed doors in Italy and France.  Today’s total of confirmed cases in the UK is 285, France surpassed that figure five days ago, it is possible public events will face similar restrictions here within a week.  If Germany and Spain take similar restrictive measures in the next few days, the UK will inevitably follow.

Celtic have one home game between now and when the league resumes after the split on the weekend of 18/19 April, so there will be little commercial impact if games here are played behind closed doors, but there is a crucial Scottish Cup semi-final on 12 April.  We would all rather be there than watching on TV.

The issue is more likely to see complications for our players who travel across Europe and beyond on international duty this month.  France under-21s travel to Liechtenstein in two weeks, which is 160 miles from northern Italy.  We have more than a passing interest in that game.  The principality is served by air from Zurich; it is impossible to tell what travel arrangements will be like in central Europe at that time.

We should also spare a thought for those with the burden of financing community clubs, where survival worries will be very real right now.