Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has insisted there is no controversy about their decision to wear commemorative shirts in tonight’s Champions League clash with Celtic.
The Atlético president has been speaking to assembled media ahead of the tonight’s game at Celtic Park, which has been shrouded by controversy.
It all boils down to the kits that the two sides will be wearing, with Celtic set to wear their normal home kit but that reportedly causing problems for the Spanish side.
They wanted to wear their usual red and white stripes but that wasn’t allowed by UEFA, who also reportedly mandated that they couldn’t wear their green kit either.
That caused anger at Celtic, though, as the all-red shirt commemorates the 1974 clash with Celtic, which is seen as one of football’s dirtiest ever games after Atlético saw three red cards and seven more yellows.
That European Cup semi-final saw Atletico fined £14k while the likes of Jimmy Johnstone and Jock Stein were issued death threats and so those in charge in Scotland have been a little peeved, with old wounds apparently being re-opened.
The stance from Spain has always been that the decision was an administrative one and nothing else, a line that Cerezo has continued with today.
“It is not a game of shame because we have already played here more times and we have a magnificent relationship with them,” he said.
“We have no problem with them. 50 seasons ago we played a semi-final here and then we won in Madrid, what is being done is a tribute to our players, not to the two teams, but in total harmony and in good faith. There is no controversy regarding this.”
