Celtic Questions SPFL Process Following Postponement of Aberdeen Match

The penalty area at the Merkland Stand end of Pittodrie Stadium has been heavily affected by persistent rainfall in Aberdeen this week.

Celtic Football Club has reached out to the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) to inquire whether the appropriate procedures were adhered to concerning the postponement of their match against Aberdeen.

This Scottish Premiership match, now rescheduled for March 4, was called off at 16:20 GMT on Wednesday—just under four hours before it was scheduled to kick off.

Aberdeen contacted the SPFL around 13:30 to request a pitch inspection due to concerns regarding a waterlogged goalmouth at the Merkland Stand end of the stadium. Subsequently, the match was postponed shortly after a 16:00 inspection, where it was determined that players could risk losing their footing in the penalty area and that the ball would not bounce adequately.

Celtic expressed their disappointment in a statement: “It is extremely regrettable that the match against Aberdeen was postponed, particularly at such a late stage. While we understand the decision, we sympathize with our supporters, many of whom had begun their journeys or had already arrived in Aberdeen. We have raised the matter with the SPFL to clarify whether the pitch inspection protocol was properly followed. In our opinion, there should be the capacity to make earlier decisions regarding match statuses, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our fans.”

The postponement was influenced by heavy rainfall following a period of significant snowfall in the region, with forecasts indicating that persistent showers are expected leading up to Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Motherwell at Pittodrie.

Additionally, Motherwell’s Premiership match against Dundee was also postponed on Wednesday.