Celtic Glasgow is considered a cult club, the home of outsiders and underdogs. The club’s origins also explain the attitude of many fans towards the Palestinians.
October 29, 2023, 10:11 p.m
Loudspeaker Listen to article The fans of Celtic Glasgow before the Champions League game against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday evening © Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Ultras see themselves as part of the resistance against the establishment. Bans by clubs and associations are motivation for organized football fans. So it was no surprise what happened at Glasgow’s Celtic FC stadium on Wednesday evening on the most prominent stage in European football. Before the Champions League game against Atlético Madrid, the club explicitly called on its fans to refrain from displaying Palestine flags. But when the two teams entered the field, the curve was the ultra group Green Brigade full of flags in green, white, red and black. Countless Palestinian flags were also waved in other parts of the stadium. On Sunday, for the away game against Hibs from Edinburgh, the Celtic fans also had the flags with them.
