Brendan Rodgers breaks silence on Celtic fan ban sweat as boss praying 'genuine supporters' aren't punished

Brendan Rodgers has reacted to Celtic's UEFA fan ban sweat as he admitted 'I am only hoping and praying'.

The Hoops are waiting to hear if supporters will be locked out of their Champions League play-off clash on the road at German giants Bayern Munich after UEFA hit them with a disciplinary notice from their league phase showdown at Aston Villa. The club were already walking a tightrope after being sanctioned over the use of pyrotechnics against Borussia Dortmund earlier in the competition. That handed the club a €20,000 and also a suspended away day ban if a further incident took place in a two-year period.

That reality could now face the Parkhead side and the club have warned fans of booking flights and hotels as there is a risk of no fans being able to attend the match at the Allianz Arena with the Scottish champions waiting to learn their fate. Asked if it is something that disappoints him, Celtic boss Rodgers told Sky Sports: "Very much so. We will wait to see if anything comes from it. It is certainly not want you want to hear or genuine Celtic supporters who are bonded with their club, it is the last thing they want to hear.

"People who have travelled for years and years, worldwide home and away, that is not what we would want. However, it has been a combination of things that have come our way as a club.

"I am only hoping and praying, especially in a game of such magnitude, or any game for that matter, but certainly for this next game that it doesn't get taken away from those supporters that Celtic means everything for."