Gemmell slams Platini for his ‘lack of respect’ towards Celtic

Published on 31/12/2012 00:00

TOMMY Gemmell last night fired back at Michel Platini after the Uefa president dismissed Celtic’s prospects of defeating his old club, Juventus, in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Platini, speaking to an Italian newspaper at the weekend, said he believed the Serie A side were as good as through, insisting: “After being drawn against Celtic, we can already consider Juve in the quarter-finals.”

Celtic legend Gemmell said: “Those comments are silly and could be thrown right back in his face. And I hope they are.

“He really should know better than to come out with nonsense like that – especially in his position.

“To say Juventus are as good as in the next round is lack of respect for my old club.

“So Serie A clubs should always be expected to beat SPL opposition? Listen, in my day we got fed up beating Italian teams. Inter Milan were favourites to beat us in the 1967 European Cup final and look what happened then.

“It’s in the history books that we became the first British club to conquer Europe with goals from myself and Stevie Chalmers to beat them 2-1.

“And I was in the team three years later that comprehensively turned over Italian champions Fiorentina 3-0 in the European Cup quarter-final in Glasgow.

“Of course, that’s all in the past and will have nothing to do with this match.What will remain consistent, though, is the Celtic support and with those guys behind you anything is possible.”