The Premiership takes a break this weekend as the football focus is shifted towards the Euro 2008 qualifiers. Click here for all games & betting.

Milan goalkeeper Dida has been banned for two matches while Celtic have been fined £25,000 following trouble at the recent Champions League game.

However, the European champions intend to appeal against the sanction imposed on the 34-year-old Brazilian.

Dida collapsed theatrically after a fan appeared to hit him near the end of Milan’s 2-1 defeat on 3 October.

Celtic were found guilty of a lack of organisation and improper conduct of supporters at the Celtic Park match.

The Scottish champions will pay half of the fine now, while the rest is deferred over a two-year probationary period.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell issued a statement saying: “As a club we feel this penalty is proportionate to the incident in question and a fair outcome.

“We took this matter extremely seriously and following an immediate internal investigation took swift and firm action against the offender.

“Celtic FC will continue to take all organisational, security and health and safety matters as its first priority.”

Dida was stretchered off after being confronted by the invading fan and was criticised for overreacting to what looked like minimal contact.

“It involved the fan, we don’t condone that, hence, the fine for Celtic,” said Uefa spokesman Rob Faulkner.

“But at the same time it was fairly clear that what happened after Dida had set off, fallen to the ground and the antics after that were a little bit out of keeping with the incident.

“I think that’s why he has come out with a two-game ban.”

The Italian club’s lawyer, Leandro Cantamessa, described the sanctions against Dida as “disproportionate and illogical”.

“I have no issue with Celtic but I am only trying to establish a sense of proportion – one is the event, the other is only the effect of the event,” he stated.


The Premiership takes a break this weekend as the football focus is shifted towards the Euro 2008 qualifiers. Click here for all games & betting.