Match officials confirmed for Celtic matches against Benfica and Hearts
The match officials have been announced for Celtic’s Europa League clash with Benfica on Thursday night at the superb Estádio da Luz…
We can confirm that it won’t be the first time the man with the whistle will have taken charge of a Celtic fixture.
Nikola Dabanovic from Montenegro is the referee tasked with the clash in the Lisbon, and some of you may remember that he once officiated a 4-1 Europa League play-off win for Neil Lennon’s Celtic side against AIK in Sweden back in August 2019.
What a goal that was from James Forrest!
In that match, Dabanovic awarded AIK a penalty but with Celtic scoring four for a rare away win, we’ll all happily settle for a repeat of that result on Thursday night! A superb opener from James Forrest is well worth watching….
WATCH CELTIC’S 4-1 AWAY IN SWEDEN AGAINST AIK…
The Montenegrin will be supported by compatriot assistants Srdan Jovanovic and Vladan Todorovic, with Milos Savovic as the fourth official. Chris Graham will operate VAR and he will be assisted by Duncan Williams.
The officiating team for the Benfica v Celtic match is as follows:
Referee: Nikola Dabanovic (Montenegro) Assistant referees: Srđan Jovanovic (Montenegro), Vladan Todorović (Montenegro) Fourth official: Milos Savovic (Montenegro) VAR: Pol van Boekel (Netherlands) Assistant VAR: Fedayi San.
Celtic have never taken anything from Benfica on their own turf (other than Billy McNeill winning a crucial coin toss) so it would be a major surprise if Martin O’Neill can mastermind a result against a team who absolutely destroyed Hearts in the Europa League playoff round.
Talking of Hearts…
Talking of Hearts, three days after our trip to Lisbon, Celtic get back to domestic action when the Scottish Champions host Hearts at Celtic Park on Sunday, afternoon 18th October.
For this one between Scotland’s top two sides from last season, David Dickinson has been announced as the match referee by the Scottish FA for what will be a vital Scottish Premiership encounter. Celtic are currently five points ahead of Hearts who are in third place, three points behind the Rangers.
Don’t write off Elvis
The latest Ibrox club take on Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday evening where they need a win to take them back to the top of the table after their 19 hour stay at the summit over last weekend. Dundee under the guidance of Steven Pressley are certainly no mugs this season and they will be looking to take something from the game.
While Celtic will very much be the underdogs in Lisbon, the Scottish champions will be favourites to send Hearts back to Edinburgh moaning about something or other and with Tony Bloom screaming something about Hearts definitely going to win the league within ten years!
Despite his big blue nose…
David Dickinson incidentally was something of a lucky omen for Celtic last season, despite his big blue nose. Celtic actually won all three encounters with him in charge on our way to a five-in-a row.
Dickinson will be assisted by David McGeachie and Ross Macleod running the lines, with Colin Steven acting as the fourth official. Chris Graham will operate VAR and he will be assisted by Duncan Williams.
The Celtic v Hearts officiating team is as follows:
Referee: David Dickinson Assistant referees: David McGeachie, Ross Macleod Fourth official: Colin Steven VAR: Chris Graham Assistant VAR: Duncan Williams.
