CELTIC say they are ‘astonished’ at star man Ryan Christie’s SFA charge for appearing to grab Rangers ace Alfredo Morelos’ testicles.
The Hoops ace faces a two-game ban after being cited for grabbing the striker’s balls.
The Hoops star was pictured getting a handful of the Colombian’s nether regions as Steven Gerrard’s men marched to a 2-1 win.
Christie had already been booked previously by referee Kevin Clancy but no further punishment was given for this foul.
The 24-year-old has been cited by the SFA this afternoon for the incident during the Old Firm clash with the Gers.
If found guilty, the Scotland international will miss a Scottish Cup tie away to Partick Thistle and an away trip to Rugby Park to play Kilmarnock when the Premiership returns after the winter break.
And the Parkhead club have been quick to make their feelings clear on the incident.
In response, a spokesperson said: “We are absolutely astonished at this decision. Clearly we will defend Ryan vigorously.”
The Celts playmaker has been charged under the Disciplinary Rule 200, which includes where a challenge or tackle that ‘endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality’.
The SFA has fast tracked the notice of complaint from the derby match and the case while be heard in the new year on Monday, January 6.
The details of the rule allegedly breached reads: “Where any one of the sending off offences of (A1) serious foul play, (A2) violent conduct, and (A3) spitting at an opponent or any other person is committed by a player at a match, but that sending off offence was not seen by any of the match officials at the time that it was committed.
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“The mandatory suspension for that sending off offence as provided for in Annex C of the Judicial Panel Protocol shall be applied to the player.
“Any Fast Track Notice of Complaint alleging a breach of this Rule shall be Determined by a Fast Track Tribunal subject to the provisions of Section 13.”
Hearts veteran Steven MacLean was hit with a two-match ban for violent conduct last campaign for grabbing Hoops outcast Eboue Kouassi in the nuts.
This occurred while waiting for a corner to be taken at the match at Murrayfield, and therefore not directly competing for the ball.
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The law states that violent conduct happens while not challenging for the ball, while serious foul play is challenging for the ball.
The match finished 2-1 to the Light Blues on Sunday as the Ibrox club cut the gap on Celtic at the top of the table to two points.
Gerrard’s men have a game in hand after the winter shutdown though where they could leapfrog their arch rivals in what would be another twist in this season’s pulsating title race.
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