No replay for Celtic after Milan say they will not protest

Sportsmail understands European football's governing body will resist the temptation to order a replay of the Group D match when it today opens an investigation into the chaotic scenes which tarnished Celtic's 2-1 win.

As Celtic banned the culprit from all home and away games for life, it emerged that former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has personally intervened and instructed the European champions not to protest over the last-minute flashpoint.

Milan's stoic stance, coupled with Celtic's prompt action in expelling the 'idiotic' supporter, is likely to curry favour with the all-powerful control and disciplinary body in Switzerland.

It is believed Celtic's worst fears - that the result could be scrapped and the game replayed like the 1984 encounter with Rapid Vienna - have been allayed.

UEFA awarded Milan a 3-0 'walkover' win over bitter rivals Inter three years ago after Dida was struck by a flare amid violent unrest at a Champions League quarter-final in the San Siro.

Sweden were awarded a similar win in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Parkhead on Wednesday night could be crucial in Celtic's favour. UEFA communications director William Gaillard yesterday described the fan getting on to the pitch in the aftermath of Scott McDonald's winner as 'inexcusable'.

"I don't want to presume anything," said Gaillard. "There is a whole range of possible punishment but, of course, there are precedents for the same kind of incidents.

"There will certainly be an investigation into the pitch invasion because the onus is on the home club to control fans inside their own stadium. On safety grounds, we are in favour of stadiums without fences but we realise that means there is always a risk of some idiotic person running on to the pitch."

Potential sanctions under the UEFA disciplinary code include warnings, fines, the replaying of a match, the awarding of a win by default to the other side and expulsion from a competition.

But the Parkhead hierarchy can expect nothing more severe than a fine and censure once the match reports of UEFA delegate Andreas Akkelides from Cyprus and German referee Merk are delivered today.

"I didn't see the incident at the time because it was chaos after the goal went in, but I saw the replays on television," said Celtic chairman Brian Quinn. "I'm making no excuses for the behaviour, the fan behaved disgracefully - but the contact made with the goalkeeper was minimal, absolutely minimal.

"The antics of the goalkeeper have to be taken into account as well. He took a couple of steps after the fan and then, obviously, made this decision that he should go to ground.

"Unless I missed something, he was carried off on a stretcher for what seemed to be the lightest tap you can imagine. We spoke to the officials of Milan and they were not ranting and raving - they were being sensible."

While Quinn insisted it would be an 'over-reaction' to consider stadium closure, Milan vicepresident Adriano Galliani confirmed the holders would not demand sanctions against Celtic.

"It is a decision that I have agreed with the president Silvio Berlusconi," said Galliani. "It is a decision we have taken because we are European champions and must behave like that."

The culprit, a 27-year-old man, who does not hold a season ticket for Parkhead, handed himself in to police yesterday after initially making himself known to the club.

"Celtic take this issue extremely seriously and it is satisfying that this individual has been identified so swiftly," said chief executive Peter Lawwell.

"The individual in question has now been banned for life from attending Celtic matches. Out with this incident, the Celtic support was phenomenal. Our fans have a tremendous record of positive support for the club at home and abroad, something which has been recognised by both UEFA and FIFA."