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Celtic’s home Scottish Premiership match with Hibernian on Monday night will continue despite Parkhead’s team being decimated by Covid-19 issues, with coach Neil Lennon and a host of players having to isolate themselves.
The Scottish champions confirmed that defender Christopher Jullien tested positive, but noted that all other players and staff members tested negative after being tested following his return to Scotland from a training ground in Dubai on Friday.
However, Hoops boss Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 players have been deemed to be close contacts of Jullien and will also go into self-isolation, leaving the club in chaos over Hibs’ visit.
Celtic issued a statement that said: “Celtic Football Club confirmed today that Christopher Jullien has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating at home. We wish Christopher a speedy recovery.”
“While all other team members and the backroom team tested negative, authorities informed us that, having been deemed ‘close contacts’, Celtic coach Neil Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 first-team players will be Self-isolation is required preventively as required by current regulations.
“The club would like to thank the Scottish Football Association, JRG and the Scottish Government for their help in handling this case. Celtic will, of course, fulfill their match against Hibernian tonight.”
“We are clearly greatly disappointed, as we know our fans will be,” the statement continued.
“Contacts were identified during the Wednesday period of last week, primarily around team flights and coach trips, during which time Celtic applied the same rigorous protocols used for preseason training camps, match travel of UEFA and for all national match arrangements in Scotland.
“These protocols have served us well in the past as the club has not had a positive case in our own ‘bubble’ so far.
“The reality is that a case could have occurred if the team had stayed in Scotland, as other cases in Scottish football and across UK sport have done last week.
“As we have already said, Celtic’s decision to travel to Dubai for training camp was for performance reasons.”
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