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Celtic could qualify despite losing the tie 1-6
Celtic could be handed a lifeline and could earn qualification for the main draw of the UEFA Champions League at the expense of Legia Warsaw despite losing 1-6 to them on aggregate. The Polish club have confirmed that they are under investigation for fielding an ineligible player during the second leg.
The player at the centre of the controversy is defender Bartosz Bereszy?ski who came on in the 86th minute of Warsaw’s 2-0 second leg win at Murrayfield following their 4-1 win at the Polish Army Stadium in the first leg.
Why Bartosz Bereszy?ski may be ineligible
The 22-year-old saw a direct red card during his club’s last Europa League match against Apollon last season and thus had to serve a three-match ban. Bereszynski didn’t play in the two legs of Warsaw’s qualifying tie against St. Patricks or the first leg against Celtic. The investigation centres around whether the full-back was registered for the first leg against the Scottish champions. If he was, the red suspension would be deemed served but if that is not the case, it makes him ineligible for the second leg.
Even though the player’s arrival didn’t have an effect on the result of the game that will not be a factor if he is found guilty of the rule breach.
What could happen to Legia Warsaw
The regulations for the Champions League state that players must be registered with Uefa within requested deadlines and that “only eligible players can serve pending suspensions”.
If an ineligible player takes part the Uefa’s disciplinary regulations state “as long as the opposing team files a protest”, the match may be termed as a forfeit. The team forfeiting the match is handed a 3-0 loss which would bring the aggregate to 4-4 sending Celtic through on away goals.
Celtic have already benefited from this rule once back in 2011-12 when they were knocked out in the Europa League by Sion but were reinstated after the Swiss side were found guilty of fielding five ineligible players who were bought during a two-year transfer embargo imposed by FIFA.
