SWEDISH LOUD MOUTH BACKTRACKS ON ‘PIG’ SLUR

LOUD MOUTH MALMO keeper Johan Wiland has insisted his reference to Celtic players being “pigs” after the Champions League play-off has been taken out of context and was not intended as an insult.

The 34-year-old Swede, who picked the ball out of the net 3 times on Wednesday night, said: “They are pigs, all of them, that’s the way it is,” following his team’s 3-2 first-leg defeat in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Wiland also accused Celtic forward Leigh Griffiths, who netted twice in the first leg,  of behaving “like a child, tugging shirts all the time”, his remarks causing a storm of controversy among Hoops fans and the Celtic squad.

Obviously aware of the motivational advantage he had given to Celtic the clumsy goalie said: “My comment was a remark about their style of play. It was an unfortunate wording and it sounds more offensive in English than it is in Swedish.

“To play like pigs means playing dirty (in Swedish). It was a physical encounter which was something we expected.

“When we got into tackles they were quick to complain.”

Wiland looked uncertain at Parkhead and could be viewed as a weak link in what is a fairly ordinary Malmo side.

Celtic will hope to pile on the pressure in Sweden on Tuesday to help make him eat his words.