Rangers Condemn Coin Incident in Old Firm Derby

Rangers have strongly condemned the incident in which Celtic’s Arne Engels was struck by a coin during Thursday’s Old Firm derby. A substitute, Engels had come on late in the match when someone hit him with a coin while he was preparing to take a corner. The impact caused him to fall and require treatment. Rangers, who secured a 3-0 victory in the match, emphasized that Celtic fans were not present at Ibrox due to a dispute over away ticket allocations.

The club also stated that they would cooperate with the police during the investigation. Celtic responded by condemning the incident and expressing outrage over fans continuing to target their players and staff with missiles. They confirmed that Police Scotland is investigating two separate incidents related to the game. Celtic’s statement highlighted that fans’ behavior is “completely unacceptable” and “appalling.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Engels was “OK” after the incident, though he pointed out that the coin could have seriously injured Engels “an inch lower” if it had struck him in the eye. The incident took place near the conclusion of a match that reduced Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 11 points. The attack on Engels may also prompt potential disciplinary action for Rangers.

Celtic defender Alistair Johnston, who witnessed the incident, urged fans to be more considerate, reminding them that players are human beings. “It’s someone’s son out there, so let’s refrain from chucking things at guys’ heads,” Johnston said, calling for greater responsibility from supporters during matches.