Legia Warsaw have asked Glasgow Celtic to play a one-off tie to decide who should qualify for the playoff round of the Champions League qualifiers.
Despite a 6-1 loss to the Polish champions Celtic were awarded the spot in the next qualifying round when it emerged that Legia had fielded an ineligible player, Bartosz Bereszynski, for the final four minutes of the second leg, thereby making Legia’s 2-0 away win void and granting Celtic a 3-0 win that sent hem through on away goals following a 4-1 defeat in Poland in the first leg.
The request was made by Legia Warsaw chairman and majority owner Dariusz Mioduski in an open letter to the SPL club. The letter appeals to Celtic’s sense of honour and tradition in the hope that the Glasgow club will offer a one-off game to settle the matter.
“Double victory over Celtic FC in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, firmly but fairly gained on the pitch, was a big success for us. It led us closer to the big dream of the entire generation of our fans: to reach the group stages of the UCL for the first time in 19 years. We found it deeply unfair and contradictory to the fair-play rules to see our dreams shattered by the last 4 minutes of the already decided second leg match,” the letter reads.
“Would any true legend of Celtic accept the qualification won despite the double defeat suffered on the pitch?
“How could they then look in the eyes of their humiliated fans?”
“I therefore call on you to refer to your best traditions of honour and honesty...do not destroy [Celtic’s] beautiful legacy, that you inherited from past generations of ‘The Bhoys’. I call on you to act according to the spirit of the game and the rules of fair play – to issue a joint statement to the UEFA disciplinary bodies. Let’s meet in Warsaw or Glasgow and settle this matter honourably.
“Many Celtic FC fans bear the “Keep the Faith” motto on their flags, jerseys, tattoos and in their hearts. I will be thinking about it while awaiting your answer,” the letter concluded.
Mioduski has previously been highly critical of Celtic’s behaviour following their reinstated to the Champions League: "I'm disgusted with Celtic's position and how they acted," Mioduski said to the press.
"I've been a big fan of Celtic before. Now I am disappointed.
"I will send an open letter to Celtic's board today. We beat them and we're proud of it.”
Scan of the letter sent to Celtic fro Legia Warsaw
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