SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP

Brendan Rodgers banned for one game but can return for derby

Celtic manager will be absent from the touchline for Sunday’s trip to Livingston as punishment for his comments about match officials in recent defeat by Hearts
Rodgers hit out at the officials after Celtic’s defeat at Tynecastle earlier this month
Rodgers hit out at the officials after Celtic’s defeat at Tynecastle earlier this month
IAN MACNICOL/GETTY IMAGES

Brendan Rodgers will be in the Ibrox technical area next month after the Celtic manager was handed an immediate one-match ban for criticising the match officials in the aftermath of the recent game against Hearts.

The Northern Irishman was accused of breaching Rule 72 which forbids criticising match officials “in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence” after Celtic’s 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle on March 3.

Rodgers claimed the “level of incompetence” made him worry for the game as he criticised the displays of the referee Don Robertson and his video assistant John Beaton in particular, with Yang Hyun-jun’s early red card and a controversial penalty for handball against Tomoki Iwata the key complaints.

Rodgers was handed a one-game ban with another one-match