Celtic respond to Legia Warsaw's rematch offer

After being eliminated from the qualifying stages of the Champions League for fielding an ineligible player in their 6-1 aggregate win over Celtic, Legia Warsaw have had their request for a rematch deferred from the Scottish champions to European football's governing body.

Per Celtic's official website:

We are disappointed by Legia Warsaw's comments. This is entirely a matter for UEFA and its processes. Accordingly, we will reserve further comment for the appropriate time.

Bartosz Bereszynski came on as a substitute in the final moments of Legia's 2-0 win at Murrayfield on Wednesday night, despite not having served a three-match ban for a red card he received in last season's Europa League. Celtic were subsequently awarded a 3-0 win, a result that allowed them to advance to the play-off round of the Champions League on away goals.

Legia's desperate plea for a winner-takes-all rematch appealed to the Scottish club's emotions, calling on Celtic to refer to "their best traditions of honour and honesty" and suggesting that turning down the offer would "destroy the beautiful legacy" created by the club's past generations.

"Imagine Jock Stein and Billy McNeill deprived of the chance to achieve the biggest triumph in their career by an application form filled improperly by a club employee acting in good faith," wrote Legia co-owner Dariusz Mioduski.

“Willie Maley, the legendary manager of Celtic FC, once said that in your stadium ‘a man is judged by his football alone.’ Only you can decide whether this noble credo will be replaced by an opportunistic use of legal loopholes.”

The request was slightly passive-aggressive in nature, and it obviously comes as no surprise that the Bhoys haven't jumped at the opportunity for a rematch.

As things stand, Celtic will take on Maribor in a home-and-away play-off to determine which club reaches the group stage of the Champions League. Legia, meanwhile, are in the process of appealing UEFA's decision.