The Green Brigade have been banned from Celtic Park after the club extended its suspension to home matches.

An email to supporters in the standing section has been published on social media showing that Celtic have suspended season tickets for those who have registered with the ticket office as being part of the ‘ultras’ group.

The move comes after incidents including the group’s co-ordination of a display showing solidarity with the people of Palestine at last week’s Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.

Wary of further UEFA disciplinary action, Celtic had asked fans not to bring any flags associated with the Middle East conflict.

An email leaked on social media shows Celtic cited “repeated incidents of unacceptable conduct involving the ‘Green Brigade’ group”. The ban is pending further review and communication with the fans’ group.

Celtic have been fined by UEFA twice this season for displays linked to the Green Brigade section – a pyrotechnic show away at Rotterdam and an “anti-fascist” banner which, according to the European governing body, contained a “provocative message of an offensive nature” towards Lazio.

Other issues apparently cited by Celtic include “rushing turnstiles” at Fir Park, “illegally gained access” ahead of the Lazio match and “unauthorised banners” plus behaviour towards stewards.

Thousands of supporters around Celtic Park had defied the club’s appeal by displaying Palestine flags last Wednesday.

Celtic have been approached for comment.

Paulo Bernardo believes he can follow in the footsteps of friend Jota and create his own history at Celtic.

The on-loan Benfica midfielder made his first start for the club in Saturday’s goalless draw against Hibernian after playing the bulk of the midweek Champions League draw against Atletico Madrid following an early hamstring injury to Reo Hatate.

With the Japan midfielder likely to missing for the next two months, Bernardo has a chance to make his mark.

The 21-year-old watched on as Jota became a Celtic fans’ favourite, firstly on loan from Benfica and then after making a permanent deal to Glasgow before sealing a big-money move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s cinch Premiership encounter with St Mirren, the Portugal Under-21 international said: “I am working hard to make my impact. Jota made his impact and I want to make my impact.

“We are friends, I speak to him a lot, but now I have to make my own history and hopefully it’s good like him.

“He told me Glasgow was good and that Celtic is a really big club like we are used to in Benfica. He told me that it’s not too different. The big difference is the weather. But I am really enjoying Glasgow like Jota said I would.”

With Celtic facing 14 games before the end of 2023, Bernardo is confident he can make his mark.

“I have to feel it because we are professional players and it’s our job to make an impact,” he said.

“It was really good to make my first start at this big club. The game was not so good but we have a game on Wednesday and we will get better.

“It was a little hard to start these sequence of games, but I will respond well.

“You can work hard in training and this gave me an opportunity to play, but game time is the most important time for a player.

“When we play one game, we improve a lot more than one or two training sessions.

“I am feeling confident. I like the way the coach thinks and plays the game, and I feel comfortable with the tactics.”

Bernardo is enjoying the relentless nature of Scottish football.

“It’s a bit different to Portugal, but I really like it here and Celtic really support me,” he said. “The players have welcomed me and the staff support me really well.

“The game here is more intense. The game never stops.

“In Portugal, we lose a little bit of the time of the game because players go down on the floor and the referee stops the game. It’s a little bit boring compared to here. That’s the biggest difference.”

Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate is unlikely to play again before Christmas.

The Japan international suffered a hamstring injury in the first minute of last week’s Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid, and tests have revealed significant damage.

Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “Reo, we are not 100 per cent on the exact timings, but he is certainly going to be out until after Christmas, we think, so that’s a shame.”

The 25-year-old will miss a major chunk of the season with Celtic playing 12 games before Christmas, including three in the Champions League.

The Hoops travel to Dundee on Boxing Day before hosting Rangers four days later and Hatate may face an extended period out given the winter break follows Celtic’s trip to play St Mirren on January 2.

Rodgers added: “It’s a disappointment for him. He has had a bit of a broken start to the season and obviously this will take him over the halfway point in the league.

“So it is very frustrating for him, especially someone who really commits himself to his game and his professionalism. Everything he does, he tries to do right.

“But he is in a great place for that support, from the coaches, the manager to the medical team, the whole staff here will support him like we do with all the players. And hopefully we will get him back sooner rather than later.”

Hatate had a six-week spell out with a hamstring injury in his other leg towards the end of last season, and missed a month with a calf injury earlier this term. So Celtic will explore all avenues to ensure Hatate’s return to fitness is lasting.

“That’s the ideal scenario,” Rodgers said. “It’s just investigating everything he is doing outside of here as well as here and trying to piece it all together.

“There are also unfortunately players that, sadly, their collagen means they pick up lots of injuries and how their body is, and they can just maybe sometimes never stay fit.

“He is a guy that has come into the game late. He has done fantastic when he has been fit and available for Celtic.

“It’s just a case of trying to look deeper into everything around his development and what he is doing here and what he is doing away from here, just to see if there is anything that we can find out.

“Because ideally you want your best players available, and he is certainly one of our top players.”

There was better news for Rodgers ahead of Wednesday’s cinch Premiership meeting with St Mirren after Alistair Johnston was passed fit after taking a clearance to the face during Saturday’s draw with Hibernian.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admitted his side lacked tempo in their play until he made some substitutions in a goalless draw with Hibernian.

Rodgers picked the same team that played the majority of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid but Celtic struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half, although David Marshall saved brilliantly from Daizen Maeda.

Martin Boyle missed an excellent chance for Hibs just after the break when he volleyed over from Jordan Obita’s cross and Rodgers brought on four attacking substitutes either side of the hour mark.

Of those, James Forrest hit the bar, Oh Hyeon-gyu had a header saved and Mikey Johnston was denied by Marshall with an impressive save from a long-range strike, while David Turnbull was also heavily involved in the play.

Rodgers said: “I didn’t think we played with the tempo and speed that we wanted to until the last 20 minutes.

“We dominated the game for long spells but the first 60 minutes was too slow from our perspective, we didn’t get them running quick enough.

“We played too many longer passes, we wanted to really be playing shorter, quicker passes which are a bit more difficult to defend.

“We made the changes and the last 25 minutes the tempo increased which pushed them back and we connected the game a lot better.

“We had about 20 attempts at goal. Jamesy hit the crossbar and they had some really good blocks but we weren’t able to make the breakthrough.”

When asked if Wednesday’s exertions had an impact, the manager said: “It could well be but I never want to use that as an excuse. The players had a massive effort in midweek but we have to be able to go again.”

When quizzed over whether some changes to his team might have helped, Rodgers added: “Listen, we are all captains of hindsight afterwards, aren’t we?

“It would have been ideal if we had an extra day maybe to recover and play later. But I think the boys are fit and strong. We had the ball, it was just the speed of it, we didn’t move it quick enough.”

On winger Johnston’s first appearance for Celtic since March 2022, Rodgers said: “A wee bit hit and miss, a bit loose and sloppy and then did some good things. But he has been out for a while.

“Jamesy came in and has that quality to look after the ball. He probably will feel he can score.

“But the guys coming in, it’s what we asked from them. I asked them to bring an energy to the game and I think they did that.”

Hibs head coach Nick Montgomery was delighted to see his side keep a clean sheet following a 4-0 defeat at Ibrox the previous weekend.

“I’m extremely proud of the effort the boys put in,” he said.

“You are talking about a team that went toe to toe with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. I watched that game and I thought they were excellent. I thought we contained a lot of their threats, and they have a lot of them.

“We defended really well, resolute when we neeed to be, and I thought we had the best chance of the game other than the crossbar incident at the end.

“At times we played some good stuff, the boys were brave and courageous at the back. It was a massive team effort.

“What we didn’t get right last week was defending those transition moments. When we lost the ball, we were slow to react, and the difference today was we defended as a team.”

Celtic were held to a goalless draw at Easter Road as Hibernian survived some sustained late pressure.

There had been few clear-cut chances heading into the final quarter although David Marshall saved brilliantly from Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda and Martin Boyle missed a glorious opportunity for Hibs.

Celtic sparked into life after making a series of attacking substitutions. Mikey Johnston forced another impressive stop from Marshall and James Forrest hit the bar but Hibs held on.

The result puts Celtic eight points clear at the top of the cinch Premiership but Rangers can cut the gap when they host Hearts on Sunday.

Brendan Rodgers had started with the same team that played the majority of the Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid as Paulo Bernardo made his first start for the club following his early introduction for the injured Reo Hatate on Wednesday.

Hibs started with Boyle up front alongside Dylan Vente, with Jair Tavares making only his fourth start for the club on the right wing. Rocky Bushiri replaced Paul Hanlon in central defence following the previous weekend’s 4-0 defeat by Rangers.

Celtic dominated possession early on but it was sloppy passing from Hibs that led to their first two half-chances. Bernardo shot just wide from 22 yards before Marshall denied Callum McGregor and Luis Palma hit the rebound wide.

Anthony Ralston replaced Alistair Johnston after the Celtic right-back took a Bushiri clearance flush in the face.

Ralston and fellow full-back Greg Taylor were taking up positions in the middle of the park but Celtic were struggling to break Hibs down.

The only time they got in behind in the first half saw Taylor’s low cross reach Bernardo, who could not get ball out of his feet but forced it away from Marshall only for the goalkeeper to recover brilliantly to block from Maeda.

Hibernian’s only moments of note in the first half saw Elie Youan shoot straight at Joe Hart after starting a counter-attack himself and Vente fire over following a set-piece.

Hibernian’s best chance came just after the interval when Jordan Obita curled in a perfect cross for Boyle, but the forward could not keep his volley down from six yards.

Rodgers brought on four attacking substitutions before the midway point of the second half as Johnston made his first appearance for the club since March 2022, after spending last season on loan with Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal.

The subs made their mark as Celtic began to pin their hosts back. Oh Hyeon-gyu had a difficult header saved before Marshall threw himself to his right to parry Johnston’s long-range strike.

Good play from Johnston saw David Turnbull try to set up Oh but his low cross was turned behind before James Forrest volleyed against the bar from the resulting corner.

The final chance saw Forrest turn Turnbull’s low cross past the near post in stoppage time.

Celtic will look to get to the bottom of Reo Hatate’s fitness issues as they wait to learn the extent of the midfielder’s latest lay-off.

The in-form Hatate is facing several weeks on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury early in Celtic’s 2-2 Champions League draw against Atletico Madrid.

The Japan international had a six-week spell out with a similar problem towards the end of last season and missed a month with a calf injury earlier this term.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Hibernian, manager Brendan Rodgers said: “We don’t have a definitive timeline but he will definitely be out for a few weeks. We are just waiting for it to settle down and waiting for the result and we will see where he’s at but it looked quite a bad one.

“If you watch the game, the first 35 seconds he has over-stretched and he has felt it early on.

“It’s such a shame for him. It’s a different one. He was out with his hamstring last year, it’s his other one this time. So we just need to try to get to the bottom of that.”

Paulo Bernardo, who is yet to start a game since his loan move from Benfica, replaced Hatate on Wednesday.

“It’s always disappointing when players of that quality are missing but our strength is our team and Paulo came in and made his longest appearance he has made,” Rodgers said. “And I thought he coped very, very well.

“We have a number of young players that can step up if Reo is going to be out for a period of time. It always presents an opportunity.

“For any player, whoever it is coming in, without forcing it, you want them to make an impact. I don’t want them to feel big pressure that this is the only chance they are going to get, but take the opportunity when it comes.

“And (Bernardo) certainly did that the other night. He worked very, very hard in a high-level game, showed quality, had that bit of bite in midfield. I thought he did very well.”

Rodgers switched to a 3-5-2 formation in the second half after being pegged back following a first-half display full of pace and purpose.

“I was really proud of the team the other night in terms of how they played,” he said. “I think we are in the process of becoming a really good side at the level.

“The cynics will look at it and say, well you have got one point from three games. But it’s more than that, and it’s more than this season, it’s about next season and the season after.

“We are in the process of becoming a good side – dynamic, fast, goal threat, and defensively compact, tight, aggressive, and when the need comes in a game to have that intelligence to change tactically, then being able to do that. And the players did it really well.

“Getting to around the 70-minute mark, playing against a team that are playing 3-5-2, they can really stretch your back four. There were spaces starting to open up.

“It wasn’t so much a defensive change to plug the gap because you can still be really aggressive and progressive in 3-5-2.

“I like teams to have the flexibility to change. We may not have to do it so much domestically but it’s an option for us if need be, to change the momentum in a game.”

Rodgers will face a new opponent at Easter Road in the form of former Central Coast Mariners manager Nick Montgomery.

“I really like what Nick is trying to,” he said. “Only in the door, looking to play an offensive game.

“There will probably be lots of people telling him that’s not the way to work but I have been through that many years ago in my early stages of management.

“I like they are trying to build the game from behind, work their way through the lines with speed, with quality, and looking to play an attacking game.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers questioned whether someone was “making tricks” over their festive fixtures after his club’s trip to Dundee was moved to Boxing Day.

Rodgers and Motherwell have both expressed frustration on behalf of supporters after two cinch Premiership games were moved to accommodate live television coverage.

Motherwell’s Fir Park clash with Rangers has been moved from the Saturday afternoon of December 23 to a noon kick-off on Christmas Eve.

Celtic’s game at Dens Park will now take place at 3pm on Boxing Day instead of with the rest of the December 27 evening fixture card.

“It’s not ideal,” Rodgers said. “Obviously we would have preferred it to stay as it was. Especially at that time of the year.

“It’s interesting actually, I am pretty sure I’m correct in this, I think the last seven years Celtic have been away at that period of the season.

“So either we are very, very unlucky to be drawn away, or someone is making tricks behind the scenes.

“For seven years on the spin this club have been away at that time of the season. That’s not right for supporters.

“So hopefully they can maybe look at that going forward.”

Celtic’s previous six fixtures immediately after Christmas Day have been away against Hibernian, Hearts, Hamilton, St Mirren, Aberdeen and Dundee – five of them were on Boxing Day.

Motherwell revealed they were given one hour’s notice before the Scottish Professional Football League was initially going to announce their fixture change on Thursday afternoon.

Any representations the club made proved futile before the announcement was eventually made on Friday.

Motherwell acknowledged the broadcast contract allowed for such changes but claimed “moving a major fixture to this date is a special circumstance that should’ve led to additional consultation/ discussion with the club”.

A statement added: “We can only apologise to supporters who will be inconvenienced by this move and especially to those who will no longer be able to attend the game.

“We understand this move is particularly inconvenient for fans who had booked pre-match hospitality, which was already sold out.

“We are working with suppliers to provide an alternative offering pre- and post-match. We hope to still see as many of our fans as possible at the game.”

Matt O’Riley feels Celtic can make further strides in the Champions League with better game management.

Brendan Rodgers’ side produced a blistering first-half display against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday and deservedly led 2-1 at the interval.

Midfielder O’Riley was at the heart of the action with an excellent exchange of one-touch passes to set up Kyogo Furuhashi’s opener and Celtic attacked with pace and purpose throughout the opening 45 minutes.

They were pegged back eight minutes into the second half by Alvara Morata’s header and could not quite replicate the tempo of their attacking play, which Atletico boss Diego Simeone admitted his side had struggled to deal with in the opening period.

A 2-2 draw gave Celtic their first point of the Group E campaign and fuelled belief within the squad.

O’Riley said: “Lots of positives, a very good performance for the most part. We lost a bit of control at times, especially at the start of the second half, but overall it was a good performance and very good goals against a defensive team.

“We were a bit disappointed not to get three points but a point on the board is a step in the right direction, so I think there is a lot to look forward to.”

The Denmark Under-21 international felt they could have calmed the game down themselves after the break to deny Atletico a way back in.

“It’s not necessarily sustaining that level, it’s managing the game in different ways,” he said.

“There were times, especially at the start of the second half, where we could have managed it a lot better in terms of slowing the game down, pulling a few guys under the ball and just keeping the ball for a bit.

“I know, naturally, you are at home and the crowd wants you to play quickly all the time but there are times when you’ve just got to slow it down and I think that’s something we will get better at.”

Feyenoord’s win over Lazio sent them top of the group on six points and Celtic will need to take points from away games in Rome and the Spanish capital to keep their hopes of qualification alive before the Dutch champions visit Glasgow in December.

Captain Callum McGregor said: “That’s the challenge now. We’ve got our point on the board, we obviously need more to get out the group but this should give us the belief that, if you look after the ball and play together as 11, there’s no reason why you can’t go there and get something out the game.

“If we want to qualify then the next two games are vital.

“Now we have played the three teams, there’s nothing to suggest we can’t have a strong second half to the campaign.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hailed his side’s “terrific performance” after a 2-2 Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid.

Celtic twice took the lead in the first half through Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma, who netted shortly after Antoine Griezmann had netted the rebound from his own penalty.

Celtic played with pace, purpose and confidence in the first half and both goals came after excellent moves, but they could not keep up the tempo after the break and Alvaro Morata levelled eight minutes into the second half.

Rodgers said: “I thought it was a terrific performance, especially the first 45 minutes – the quality of our football, the speed in our pressing and in our game, everything we would want.

“We were unfortunate with the penalty. One, it was very harsh, and, two, they got the good fortune after the save hits the post and comes straight to the player.

“But our reaction was superb, everything I wanted in terms of playing together, pressing and the intensity and a really aggressive mentality and then having the courage to play.

“We expected them second half to have a spell in the game but they didn’t create so much. Their equaliser was fantastic, the early cross and great finish.

“But we kept fighting and showed we can compete with a top-level team.

“It will give us confidence to know we can create opportunities and play the football we want to play. The team pressed the game well and passed it for a lot of the game.”

Rodgers, who revealed Reo Hatate had suffered a hamstring injury, which forced him off for Paulo Bernardo inside seven minutes, admitted it was difficult to maintain the intensity for 90 minutes.

Celtic never looked like taking the lead for a third time, despite Atletico going down to 10 men in the 82nd minute.

He added: “There’s a wee bit of tiredness that comes in the last 20 minutes because we are not used to playing at that tempo and against that level of opponent, so naturally a wee bit of fatigue kicks in. We also had to make an early sub with Reo’s injury.

“It was a really big performance but we couldn’t quite get the result we were looking for.”

Celtic are bottom of the group with one point from three games ahead of trips to Madrid and Lazio, the latter of whom have four points.

Rodgers said: “We wanted to get three points but if you can’t get the win then don’t lose it, and I don’t think we looked like losing. I can see development for sure.

“We have shown we can perform and we go into the other three trying to get as many points as we can and see where it takes us.”

Atletico manager Diego Simeone admitted his side had struggled to deal with Celtic in the first half.

“As expected, they started really well, as they did in their first two games,” he said.

“We really struggled to contain them early on and they scored with their first attack. We managed to respond but they quickly scored a fantastic goal.

“The first half didn’t go as we would have liked but I was really pleased with the second half, it was a real Champions League performance. We showed a lot of personality and responsibility.”

Simeone, who brought on Marcos Llorente and Rodrigo Riquelme at half-time, added: “In the first half we didn’t have the speed the game required, we weren’t up to scratch and they combined well in our half.

“But the subs had a big impact and we had better solutions in our passing game.”

Celtic twice lost a lead as they gained their first Champions League point in a 2-2 home draw with 10-man Atletico Madrid.

Kyogo Furuhashi got Celtic off to a flying start with his second goal in two Champions League games and Luis Palma quickly restored Celtic’s lead after Antoine Griezmann scored following his own saved penalty.

Celtic were deservedly on course for a first Champions League group-stage home win in 10 years following a first-half display full of pace and purpose but they started slowly after the break and Alvaro Morata levelled inside eight minutes of the restart.

The Scottish champions never rediscovered their spark – even after Atletico went down to 10 men in the 82nd minute – and their run without a home win at this level is now at 12 games.

Feyenoord’s win over Lazio left Celtic three points adrift of the Italians at the bottom of Group E, halfway through the campaign with trips to Spain and Rome to follow.

The build-up to the game had been dominated by internal and external strife.

Thousands of Celtic fans defied the club before kick-off by displaying Palestine flags, an act which will inevitably lead to UEFA sanctions.

Atletico’s decision to dispense with their striped shirts and wear an all-red top based on the one worn by the team that beat Celtic in the 1974 European Cup semi-finals also opened old wounds.

Two of the team that gained a goalless first-leg draw at Parkhead had travelled with the current side but the tribute did not go down well among the Celtic support given Atletico had three men sent off and seven others booked in that brutal encounter.

Furuhashi ignited the highly-charged atmosphere inside four minutes following a one-touch move. The Japan international twice exchanged passes with Matt O’Riley before taking a touch and slotting home from six yards.

There was a blow for Brendan Rodgers moments later when Reo Hatate went off injured. The Celtic manager brought on 21-year-old midfielder Paulo Bernardo, who is yet to start a game since his loan move from Benfica.

The home side remained positive, roared on by the crowd as they pressed Atletico high up the park, but the visitors levelled in the 25th minute after Greg Taylor was penalised for a trip on Nahuel Molina.

Joe Hart saved Griezmann’s penalty at full stretch but the France international dispatched the rebound.

Taylor atoned three minutes later when he played a searching ball beyond right-back Molina which sent Daizen Maeda in behind. The resulting cross found fellow winger Palma and the Honduran took a touch and rifled a shot in off the post.

Palma had been denied a late goal against Lazio three weeks ago by a marginal VAR ruling and an offside decision soon went Celtic’s way after Axel Witsel headed home from a set-piece.

O’Riley had earlier threatened with a first-time strike which was met with a diving save as Celtic continued to attack with verve.

Diego Simeone made two half-time changes and substitute Marcos Llorente vindicated his introduction within eight minutes as he crossed for Morata to equalise with a diving header.

Morata and Llorente both threatened and Rodgers responded by bringing on centre-back Nat Phillips for Palma and changing formation.

Atletico continued to boss possession and Celtic were contributing to their difficulties with some slack passing. Hart saved well from Morata after the Spain international turned Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Celtic got a lifeline when Argentinian midfielder Rodrigo de Paul received a second yellow card following a sliding tackle on Bernardo.

Substitute James Forrest shot not far over but Celtic could not seriously trouble the 10 men.

Thousands of Celtic supporters defied the club and displayed Palestine flags ahead of their Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.

A tifo display in the colours of the Palestine flag was evident in the lower half of the standing section well before kick-off and about two dozen sizeable flags were flown in the adjacent section before the teams emerged.

Thousands of smaller flags were evident around the ground when the teams came out.

The displays will inevitably lead to UEFA disciplinary action against Celtic, given the European governing body has already fined the club for fans flying Palestine flags on previous occasions.

The club issued a plea to supporters earlier on Wednesday after the Green Brigade fans’ group encouraged supporters to “courageously fly the flag for Palestine” amid the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East that has claimed thousands of lives.

“We have witnessed death, violence and destruction in the Holy Land in recent weeks, with thousands of people – men, women and children – killed, injured and displaced,” read Celtic’s statement.

“We are witnessing a tragedy of horrendous scale. As it continues, everyone at Celtic prays for all who have been affected.

“We also hope and pray for peace and for humanitarian support to reach those who are in need and in fear.

“Many of our colleagues, supporters, friends and families have been affected by these events.

“Against this backdrop of conflict and pain, sport can promote peace and demonstrate humanity and empathy for all who continue to suffer.”

Celtic added that players and coaches would wear black armbands as a “show of respect and support for all those affected by the conflict” and the club would make a contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross to “support people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the region”.

The statement added: “The club recognises that our supporters hold personal views to which everyone is entitled. As a club open to all, we all belong at Celtic Park.

“Celtic Park is where we come to support our football club. Recognising this, respecting the gravity of the tragedy unfolding and its impact on communities in Scotland and across the world, and in line with other clubs, leagues and associations, we ask that banners, flags and symbols relating to the conflict and those countries involved in it are not displayed at Celtic Park at this time.”

The Green Brigade, which is currently suspended from getting away tickets by the club, in the wake of incidents at Motherwell and Feyenoord, had earlier announced plans to distribute thousands of flags outside the stadium.

“While it would be easier to distribute flags inside, we are prohibited from bringing the flags into the stadium,” a statement read.

“We respect the right of all fans who wish not to participate in such an action, however equally we ask that the same respect and freedom is afforded to all fans who do.”

In 2016, the Green Brigade raised more than £130,000 in an online fundraising campaign after Celtic were fined nearly £9,000 by UEFA due to fans flying Palestine flags during their 5-2 Champions League victory against Israel’s Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Glasgow.

The money went to medical aid for Palestinians and projects in the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, where a football academy was set up bearing the name of Celtic.

Celtic have urged their supporters not to bring flags and banners relating to the conflict between Israel and Palestine to Wednesday evening’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid.

The club issued the plea on the day of the meeting with the Spaniards after the Green Brigade fans’ group encouraged supporters to “courageously fly the flag for Palestine” amid a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

“We have witnessed death, violence and destruction in the Holy Land in recent weeks, with thousands of people – men, women and children – killed, injured and displaced,” read Celtic’s statement.

“We are witnessing a tragedy of horrendous scale. As it continues, everyone at Celtic prays for all who have been affected.

“We also hope and pray for peace and for humanitarian support to reach those who are in need and in fear.

“Many of our colleagues, supporters, friends and families have been affected by these events.

“Against this backdrop of conflict and pain, sport can promote peace and demonstrate humanity and empathy for all who continue to suffer.

“For the club’s UEFA Champions League match against Atletico Madrid this evening, Celtic and Atletico Madrid players and coaching staff will wear black armbands, as a show of respect and support for all those affected by the conflict.

“The club is also making a contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the region.

“The club recognises that our supporters hold personal views to which everyone is entitled. As a club open to all, we all belong at Celtic Park.

“Celtic Park is where we come to support our football club. Recognising this, respecting the gravity of the tragedy unfolding and its impact on communities in Scotland and across the world, and in line with other clubs, leagues and associations, we ask that banners, flags and symbols relating to the conflict and those countries involved in it are not displayed at Celtic Park at this time.

“As we approach this crucial fixture, as ever, we sincerely thank our fans for their positive support of the players and the team.

“We thank you very much for your continued support of Celtic Football Club.”

A section of Celtic’s support has long held an affiliation with the Palestinian cause, with the club having previously been sanctioned by UEFA for banners or flags showing support for Palestine.

Large numbers of Hoops fans held up the Palestine flag before Sunday’s match away to Hearts and the Green Brigade is intent on ensuring there is a repeat at the Atletico match, setting it on a collision course with the club’s hierarchy.

“For those unable to obtain a flag, the Green Brigade will distribute thousands of flags outside the stadium,” the group said in a statement released on Tuesday.

“While it would be easier to distribute flags inside, we are prohibited from bringing the flags into the stadium. We respect the right of all fans who wish not to participate in such an action, however equally we ask that the same respect and freedom is afforded to all fans who do.”

Atletico Madrid captain Koke defended the club’s “great gesture” in using their return to Parkhead to pay tribute to the side that beat Celtic in controversial circumstances in 1974.

Atletico will wear a retro strip which matches the style worn by the team that beat Celtic in the European Cup semi-finals.

The side are heroes for the Spanish club, having gone on to win the Intercontinental Cup against Argentina’s Independiente despite losing the European Cup final against Bayern Munich.

But they are viewed as villains by Celtic fans and former players. Atletico had three players sent off and seven others booked as they battled their way to a goalless first-leg draw in Glasgow with Jimmy Johnstone in particular subjected to some vicious fouls.

Police intervened in some post-match clashes between players and Celtic advised fans not to travel to Spain for the second leg, which they lost 2-0, amid reports of death threats for Johnstone and manager Jock Stein.

Two of the players from that team, Ramon Heredia and Francisco Melo, travelled on the club flight to Glasgow for Wednesday’s Champions League game. Both were booked on their previous trip to Celtic Park.

When asked about the controversy the choice of strip had sparked, Koke said: “It’s an important thing for the club, but that was 50 years ago, so while it is good to have those people with us and memories are a big part of football, it is a completely different game now.

“We are just focused on the game. It doesn’t really matter what colour of shirts we are wearing, they could be red or they could be red and white.

“It’s not so important for what happens in the game what jersey we wear, the most important thing is what happens on the pitch.

“But it’s a great gesture from the club and it’s an important part of the club’s history, what happened 50 years ago.”

Manager Diego Simeone brushed off suggestions, from the Spanish media, that the tribute might be seen as an inflammatory move.

“People can interpret things any way they want,” he said. “Wednesday is just about the opposition. Celtic is a tough rival, with some really strong players. I really admire the way they play football and it is going to be a tough game.

“In their games against Lazio and Feyenoord, especially in the first 60-70 minutes, they played at a really high tempo. They are good in transition and have a strong system that they stuck to.

“They will press you in your own half and playing here, it is a really historic stadium.

“As well as the history of 1974, my father told me about 1967 when they played Racing Club (in the Intercontinental Cup). It’s a huge club. One of the most famous in the world.”

Simeone was also asked by a Spanish journalist about a headline over their strip choice in the Scottish press which read ‘Pathetico Madrid’.

“Newspapers will have their headlines but what matters to me is the stadium, the history and the crowd,” he said.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admits they need to take something from the visit of Atletico Madrid to progress in Europe.

But Rodgers is well aware of the European experience of Diego Simeone and his team and the need to be “intelligent” with their pressure.

Celtic have produced largely encouraging performances in their opening two Champions League games but they sit on zero points, three behind Feyenoord and four behind Atletico and Lazio.

Atletico were seconds away from winning in Rome and have a strong recent pedigree in Europe, which includes reaching two Champions League finals and winning the Europa League three times since 2010.

Rodgers said: “We play every game to win but your pressure always has to be educated. We want to be intense but we have to press the game with an intelligence as well, because they have top-level players.

“It’s important for us, if we are going to progress at any point in any of the competitions, we have to take something from the game, otherwise it’s a hugely difficult challenge for us.

“But we are excited about the challenge and I am really looking forward to seeing how we take that challenge on.

“This is a team that knows their way around European football, they are fighting for the Spanish title.

“But we just have to go and play our game and look to be brave and play with that courage we have been playing with, and see if we can pose them some problems.”

The former Liverpool and Leicester manager added: “I actually think we will have a lot of the ball. In terms of how Atletico play, they will press us in certain sectors of the game.

“But Diego always sets his teams up to play in a lower block in the main, which means it’s very, very difficult to break through.

“I think we will still have a good amount of possession but we have obviously devised a plan that will help us give them things to think about.”

Celtic’s chances in Rotterdam were undone by losing a soft goal from a free-kick on the stroke of half-time before getting two players sent off.

They took the lead against Lazio and looked to have won the game late on only to be denied by a marginal offside decision, before conceding deep into stoppage time. Rodgers will aim to use the frustration of that finale to drive his players on.

“The Lazio game was a real indication of the level,” he said. “We played very well but one moment at the end of the game costs you the points.

“That’s a reminder of the level but it doesn’t stop you being persistent and looking to fight. The fans expect us to fight and run in order to play quality football. That’s the style of this team and we will continue to do that.

“It’s life, isn’t it? Adversity is some of the best learning that you have. The pain was numbing at the end because we didn’t feel we deserved that, but I don’t want to be taking condolences after losing games of football. I respect the level we are at and it’s up to us to see if we can be more progressive in our results.

“One of the biggest things at this level is concentration. If you drop your guard for a second, you can get punished.

“We have shown, especially in the Lazio game, we can create opportunities and our goal was fantastic.

“I always say concentration at this level is huge and finishing your opportunities when you get them.

“We have to have that collective mentality, a green and white block moving up the pitch, everyone together and pressing and passing how we want to.

“If we can do that and keep that concentration, we have a great chance against any team, especially at home.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wants his team to show they can take on the best in the world when they host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

The Hoops are looking for their first points of the Champions League campaign after going down against Feyenoord with nine men and losing to a last-gasp goal against Lazio after being denied the lead for a second time by a marginal offside decision.

Rodgers said: “We are playing one of the top clubs in the world and one of the best teams.

“We want to be able to take on the best teams in the world. We don’t have to be the best in the world but we certainly want to be able to take them on.”

Celtic warmed up with a dominant display in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Hearts.

“The players will go into it with great confidence,” Rodgers said.

“It will be an amazing atmosphere, we will try to start with energy and quality and devise a plan.

“The players have been unfortunate they haven’t picked up something. In the two games the performance level has been good, considering we had nine men against Feyenoord and the last game was hugely frustrating.

“But a great chance to play against a really good team and see if we can get our first points on the board.”

In-form midfielder Matt O’Riley will go into the game with a positive mindset after hitting his sixth goal of the season in style at Tynecastle.

The 22-year-old said: “If we play well and take our chances, and we believe we can do it, then anything is possible.

“We have seen that before in previous Champions League games in the past, I think performance is definitely there, it’s just a matter of being ruthless in both boxes to be honest.”