Celtics respond to Hearts title decider chaos with new statement

Celtic have apologised to Hearts for the chaotic scenes which followed Saturday’s Scottish Premiership title decider.

Hearts of Midlothian sat atop the table heading into the final day of the season, two points clear of Celtic.

First place visited second on Saturday in an all-or-nothing title-deciding shootout, where Celtic came out on top thanks to late goals from Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand.

A huge pitch invasion followed Osmand’s third, triggering chaotic scenes at Celtic Park as some supporters confronted the devastated Hearts players.

The match was still in the midst of added time but did not restart, and Hearts left the stadium without undertaking media duties.

Writing post-match, Hearts condemned the scenes, which they dubbed ‘shameful’ and ‘embarrassing’.

And Celtic, over 24 hours after full-time, have now responded, congratulating their players and staff on clinching another Scottish Premiership title before expressing regret for those post-match scenes.

A club statement released Sunday evening read in part: “The Club regrets that our victory over Hearts was followed by a number of individuals entering the field of play.

“We again emphasise that there is no justification for this behaviour which, for the vast majority of Celtic supporters, only detracts from the joy of such occasions.

“Celtic will co-operate fully with any investigation and with the SPFL in their own processes.

“We also apologise to Hearts for the situation encountered by their players and staff at the conclusion of the game, and for the fact that these events prevented them from saluting their own supporters at the end of an enthralling campaign, to which they have contributed so much.”

Hearts’ statement, released shortly after full-time on Saturday, read: “Heart of Midlothian utterly condemns the shameful scenes at Celtic Park this afternoon which have, once again, embarrassed Scottish football,” the statement read.

“Reports of serious physical and verbal abuse towards our players and staff, both on the pitch and elsewhere, are deeply disturbing. We are investigating this fully and are in dialogue with Police Scotland.

“Given the menacing and threatening atmosphere inside the stadium, our entire staff had no alternative but to leave immediately, without undertaking post-match media duties. To our media partners, we apologise, but the safety of our staff was our prime focus during these unacceptable scenes.”

Celtic boss Martin O’Neill added: “If some Hearts players have been accosted, then that’s just not right at all.

“I genuinely didn’t see the scenes at the end because I thought the game wasn’t over, so I’m trying to push some of our fans off the pitch again to play whatever’s left.”