Celtic need Parkhead rocking for season finale so pyro party has to stop before UEFA starts shutting stands

Celtic fans don’t need to do much Googling to find big name players saying nice things about the Parkhead atmosphere.

Hoops punters get a bit of playful stick for loving all that stuff but fair play, it’s nice when the likes of Lionel Messi, Zlatan and Xavi come out and declare the place as something special.

We know the usual lines.

Messi said: “I’ve been fortunate to play in some great stadiums in Europe with Barcelona but none compare to Celtic.”

Xavi gushed: “Walking out into that atmosphere is always intense. I don’t think I have seen anything like the Celtic fans in all the stadiums I have played.”

Zlatan salivated: “I did not hear what my team-mates said if they called me because it was such a beautiful and awesome atmosphere. It’s probably the best.”

Supporters lap it up.

But you know what they didn’t say?

“Yeah, the noise was amazing, but did you see those flares? Pure magic, man.”

It’s because the fireworks and smoke bombs come way down the list when it comes to the reasons why Celtic Park does generate such a great atmosphere.

In fact, those things are probably at the bottom of the list.

Yet they are top of the pile when it comes to causing Celtic problems.

UEFA hand out fines for pyro like an over-officious traffic warden with a nagging wife and Parkhead chiefs have practically got a direct debit to Euro suits HQ in Nyon.

Local cops and councillors in Scotland are on to it as well and they were on the phone sharpish in the wake of the display against Rangers the other week.

Listen, there’s no doubt the flares look pretty and there’s something quite dramatic when the pitch is engulfed in smoke and there’s a whiff of cordite.

But it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

There’s a reason