Celtic have been reinstated in the UEFA Champions League following Legia Warsaw's removal from the competition.
The Scots, who had looked set to miss out on Europe's top competition after a 6-1 aggregate defeat to the Poles, were reprieved when it came to light that Warsaw had fielded an ineligible player. Bartosz Bereszynski, who came on as an 86th-minute substitute as Legia won the second leg 2-0 at Murrayfield on Wednesday night, was suspended following a red card for violent conduct in last season's Europa League.
Bereszynski was banned for three games after receiving the red card last term, and his absence from both legs against St Patrick's Athletic and the first leg against Ronny Deila's side meant Legia believed he was eligible to play at Murrayfield on Wednesday. However, their failure in registering him as part of the squad for the matches against the Irish side which meant the ban was not fulfilled.
Uefa's rules state that a side found guilty of fielding an ineligible player will forfeit the match 3-0 which means that the 6-1 aggregate win for Legia Warsaw is changed to a 4-4 draw, with Celtic winning on away goals. While Legia can, and look likely to, appeal Uefa's decision, it is Celtic who were included in today's Champions League draw as a seeded team.
Legia miss one of their two penalties against The Hoops.
A spokesperson for the Polish club said they would appeal against the decision.
"This is unjust and completely disproportionate," he told reporters at UEFA headquarters. "There have been similar cases in the past which have not punished in this way. This was just a basic human error. We have spent eight years working towards this and now it has been taken away from us. Financially, it's unimaginable and the players are shattered."
The UEFA statement said: "Legia have been sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player (article 18 of the UEFA Champions League regulations and article 21 of the Disciplinary Regulations). The match has been declared as forfeit meaning Legia Warszawa have lost the match 3-0.
"As a consequence, Celtic have qualified for the UEFA Champions League play-offs on away goals (agg: 4-4) and Legia will compete in the UEFA Europa League play-offs.
"In addition the player Bartosz Bereszynski has been suspended for one additional UEFA competition match for which he would be otherwise eligible.
"This suspension shall be added to the remaining two match suspension which the player still has to serve in accordance with the Control and Disciplinary Body decision of 13 February 2014."
Ronny Deila admitted he has sympathy for Legia Warsaw after his side’s dramatic reinstatement. Speaking at the club’s Lennoxtown training complex, Celtic’s new manager said: “It is very strange, I have to say that. First of all I feel very sorry for Legia, and my friends from Norway there.
“It is tough to think of that and now we are in the Champions League. That is what Uefa said, we haven’t been involved in anything. I am a football manager and I have to go with it and now we are preparing for Maribor.”
In 2010, UEFA fined Hungarian side Debrecen £15,000 for fielding ineligible substitute Peter Mate while they were leading Litex Lovech 4-1 on aggregate late on. In that case, UEFA decided Debrecen had "no interest in fielding this player for the three last minutes of additional time, when the score was so clearly in its favour."
However, there are differences between the Debrecen case and this particular issue. Take a look at the below image and find out why:
Legia come under no.1, while Debrecen come under no.3.
It is the second time in three years Celtic have benefited from an opposition administrative mistake. They were reinstated to the Europa League after losing to Sion in 2011 and appealing the Swiss side's use of five ineligible players. Sion had signed the players despite being under a FIFA transfer embargo. A lengthy legal battle ensued, but the decision to reinstate the Hoops was not reversed.
The Scots will now face Maribor of Slovenia in the final qualifying round. Legia Warsaw will have to wait for news from UEFA before commencing in their European journey. UEFA's decision is worth around £5 million to Celtic.
