CELTIC’S final pre-season preparations for the Premiership kick off in 10 days’ time have been thrown into chaos.
The champions had hoped to take on Dundalk at Parkhead on Saturday, but the Irish government have placed a travel ban on Scotland.
Despite contracts being signed off between both clubs, Dundalk pulled out at the eleventh hour amid fears their players would face a two-week coronavirus quarantine on their return to the Republic of Ireland.
The Hoops hierarchy have been activated to arrange an alternative fixture early yesterday, it appeared Derry City – based north of the border – would be willing to step in.
By lunchtime, that emergency plan was placed in doubt when Ireland declared that no parts of the UK have made it onto their green travel list, according to a report in the Daily Record.
And Derry then received a warning from the FAI that, by accepting the friendly in Glasgow, their players and coaching staff would be unable to compete in a top-flight clash against St Patrick’s in Dublin on August 3.
It now looks increasingly likely that Celtic will be forced to jettison all plans for a final warm-up on home soil before they face Hamilton Accies in the Premiership opener a week on Sunday in the east end of Glasgow when the ninth successive league flag will be unfurled.
Neil Lennon’s men are just back from their three-game tour of France where they drew 1-1 with Nice and lost 2-1 to Lyon and 4-0 against Paris Saint-Germain.
