STRICT REF FOR CELTIC IN RUSSIA

SPANISH referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz will be in charge of Celtic’s Europa League last-32 second leg tie against Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday.

And the Hoops, 1-0 ahead from the first game, will be alert to the fact the strict disciplinarian has flashed 104 yellow cards in 21 games this season.

Hoops defender Mikael Lustig will also know all about Lahoz having been one of nine players booked during Sweden’s World Cup qualifying play-off in Italy in November that saw the home nation topple out of the tournament.

The whistler has also dished out eight booking in both of his last two outings – Friday’s La Liga clash between Girona and Leganes and Barcelona’s Copa del Rey victory over Espanyol.

Defender Jozo Simunovic and midfielder Olivier Ntcham are one booking away from being suspended for the next round if the Parkhead men make progress.