The fallout from Rangers’ dramatic 3-2 victory over Celtic at Celtic Park has taken a new turn, with Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson firing back at Kasper Schmeichel after the Celtic goalkeeper criticized Rangers winger Vaclav Cerny. The war of words has only intensified the tension between both clubs as emotions continue to run high.
Rangers secured a vital win over Celtic in a thrilling Old Firm derby, but the aftermath has been dominated by an incident involving Vaclav Cerny.
The controversy escalated when Kasper Schmeichel, Celtic’s experienced goalkeeper, spoke out against Cerny’s behavior in an interview. Schmeichel called Cerny’s actions “disrespectful” and accused him of showing a lack of professionalism.
“In a game of this magnitude, you have to respect your opponents and their supporters,” Schmeichel said. “What Cerny did was unnecessary. You celebrate with your teammates, not by provoking the other side.”
Schmeichel’s comments quickly gained traction among Celtic supporters, who felt justified in their anger over the incident. However, Rangers boss Barry Ferguson was not willing to let the criticism go unanswered.
Ferguson, who took over as Rangers’ interim manager just weeks ago, immediately came to Cerny’s defense. Speaking to the media, Ferguson dismissed Schmeichel’s complaints and suggested that Celtic were simply looking for excuses after their defeat.
“It’s a bit rich coming from Schmeichel,” Ferguson said. “Maybe instead of complaining about our players, he should focus on his own performance. Celtic lost because we were the better team, not because of what one of our lads did after a goal.”
Ferguson went on to argue that the emotional nature of the Old Firm derby means that celebrations can sometimes get out of hand, but he insisted that Cerny did nothing wrong.
“These are high-pressure games. Players put everything on the line, and when you win in the way we did, of course there’s going to be passion. If Celtic can’t handle that, then maybe they need to toughen up.”
His comments quickly reignited the debate on social media, with Rangers fans backing their manager while Celtic fans slammed Ferguson for defending Cerny’s actions.
Celtic supporters took to social media to vent their frustrations, accusing Ferguson of condoning unsportsmanlike behavior. Many pointed out that had a Celtic player behaved in the same manner, Rangers fans would have been equally outraged.
One Celtic fan posted: “Ferguson is just stirring the pot. If the roles were reversed, Rangers fans would be up in arms. Cerny knew what he was doing, and it was completely classless.”
Another added: “Schmeichel was right to call it out. There’s a difference between celebrating a win and deliberately winding up the opposition.”
Despite the criticism, Ferguson remained defiant and made it clear that Rangers would not be apologizing for how they celebrated their victory.
While much of the focus has been on the Cerny controversy, some pundits have pointed out that Schmeichel himself had a shaky performance in the match. His poor distribution almost cost Celtic a goal, and questions are now being raised over whether the veteran goalkeeper is still the right choice for the club.
Ferguson took the opportunity to highlight Schmeichel’s struggles, suggesting that the goalkeeper’s frustration over his own performance might have led to his comments about Cerny.
“I think we all saw that Schmeichel wasn’t at his best,” Ferguson said. “Maybe he should spend less time worrying about our players and more time making sure he doesn’t make costly mistakes.”
With the Scottish Premiership title race still wide open, both Celtic and Rangers will need to move on quickly from this controversy and focus on their upcoming fixtures. However, the tension between the clubs remains as high as ever, and with more Old Firm clashes likely before the end of the season, the rivalry is only set to intensify.
For now, Ferguson has made his stance clear—Rangers will not be backing down, and neither will he. As for Schmeichel, he will have to answer his critics with his performances on the pitch. Whether this war of words continues or not, one thing is certain: the battle between Celtic and Rangers is far from over.
