Brendan Rodgers FREE for Celtic trip to Rangers as Hoops boss fate decided after SFA charge over officials rant

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is free to take his place in the Ibrox dugout next month after he was handed a ONE game ban with another suspended following his furious rant after defeat to Hearts.

The Irishman faced Hampden chiefs after being hauled before the beaks for his comments regarding officials following the champions 2-0 defeat to Tynecastle at the start of the month and was facing a two-game ban, which would have seen him in the stand for the big derby on April 7. But one game has been suspended meaning he won't be in the dugout for Sunday's clash against Livingston.

Rodgers was left raging after Yang's yellow card for a high boot on Alex Cochrane was upgraded to a red by referee Don Robertson after being sent to the monitor to review the flashpoint by John Beaton in the VAR room. Tomoki Iwata was then controversially penalised for handball following a VAR review - leading to Jorge Grant netting from the penalty spot. Rodgers hit out at the officials questioning the "competence" of the team following the full-time whistle, sparking the SFA into action.

Following the hearing, the boss will now miss Celtic's Scottish Premiership game against Livingstonhaving pleaded his case with the help of representation from legal eagle Nick De Marco, dubbed the ‘football law version of Lionel Messi’.

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