Celtic League cup semi final problem

Celtic or Sevco may have to play League Cup semi-final less than 48 hours after Europa League action

• SPFL have confirmed dates for two last-four ties as October 27 and October 28
• However, Sevco host Spartak Moscow on October 25 in the Europa League
• Celtic are in Germany to face RB Leipzig on October 25 in the same competition

Celtic or Sevco could be ordered to play a Betfred League Cup semi-final less than 48 hours after competing in the Europa League.

The SPFL have confirmed the dates for the two last-four ties as Saturday October 27 and Sunday October 28.

However, Sevco host Spartak Moscow on Thursday October 25, while Celtic are in Germany to face RB Leipzig the same night.

The SPFL are preparing for a potential doomsday scenario in the Betfred Cup quarter finals next Wednesday if Sevco beat Ayr United, Celtic overcome St Johnstone in Perth, and the two teams are then kept apart in the live draw due to be shown on BT Sport after the game at McDiarmid Park.

That would mean league chiefs are forced to ask one of the Old Firm clubs to play on the Saturday afternoon - triggering an inevitable row after both have played in Europe on the Thursday.

An Ayr United or St Johnstone victory would obviously remove any potential problem, as would the latest in a series of Old Firm semi-final draws.

Options available to SPFL operations director Iain Blair are limited by the fact BT Sport have a contract to broadcast both semi-finals live.

A full programme of league fixtures on Wednesday October 31 rules out the possibility of moving both semi-finals back 24 hours.

And playing both games at Hampden with staggered times on Sunday, October 28, would pose huge public order concerns for Police Scotland.

Neither the SPFL or BT Sport provided a comment on Friday night.

 

Easiest way to sort this would be to have the huns play on Saturday after all their Europa match is at home whilst Celtic's is away

 

We'll no doubt draw Rosenborg in the semi anyway so it's swings and roundabouts

 

i know the game has changed a lot fitness and stuff, but the lisbon lions played replays and stuff the very next day didnt they or was it teams before them ?

it really is the snowflake generation compared to back then

 

Not ideal but at the same time it's hardly a massive problem either, 2 days in a row would be extreme especially after flying but id not be that worried about it.

 

Let’s hope we beat St Johnstone first

 

Noticed this a while back if we dont meet huns we could be playing the saturday unless they move it to the monday

 

Whoever is drawn first out the hat (Us or dobs) plays on the saturday..seems fair.

 

That won’t happen BT will dictate kick off times for the Semis, one will be Sat early and one Sun..

Can’t move to Mon either because of league games on the Wed..

Tbf we have the earlier ko on the Thurs so that levels out travelling from Germany..

 

They'll just hot ball both us to play each other on Sunday. So Its a non issue.

 

Seen someone mention playing one semi final at Murrayfield on the Sunday, not sure if that's a runner.

Easiest solution for SPFL is to just draw us against each other

 

Draws can easily be rigged, they will draw us against each other.