French club Rennes replaced Sion with Celtic yesterday morning on their fixture list before re-instating the controversial Swiss club to the Europa League.
With no word coming from UEFA on Celtic’s protest against the fielding of five ineligible players all the clubs drawn in Group I are in the dark about the outcome.
Yesterday however Rennes changed the fixture list on their website to the consternation of everyone at Sion.
Swiss newspaper Le Matin reported: “UEFA have still not ruled on the fate of FC Sion and its possible exclusion of the continental stage, the Stade Rennais undertook to revise the Group I by deleting altogether the club’s fixtures with Sion.
“According to the club’s official website Breton, Frédéric Antonetti’s men were traveling in Scotland and on November 3 to take on the Celtic!
“The error was corrected later in the morning and FC Sion reintroduced into the group I Europa League, after verification.
“According to information obtained by officers from Rennes in UEFA’s draw in Monaco, it might be very complicated for Sion, justifies a colleague of the daily Ouest-France.
“In an interview, the coach Frederic Antonetti has even mentioned the game against Celtic, explaining that it was a great team!
“The blunders of Stade Rennais illustrate the prospects for Sion in the competition.”
Athletico Madrid are scheduled to host Sion on September 15 with the Spanish club concerned by the situation surrounding their hosts.
Clemente Villaverde, Director General of Athletico said: “We need the situation to be resolved quickly because a change of opponent would imply a different way of working.”
UEFA’s failure to give a decision on the Sion case has led some observers to suggest that Sion could remain in the competition despite the comments of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini.
Should they decide to let Sion compete there is nothing surer than they will receive three appeals from Athletico, Udinese and Rennes against the ineligible players.
With Sion chief Christian Constantin showing no signs of wishing to negotiate a settlement each passing day without a verdict from UEFA intensifies the problem.
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I hope it’s not No news is bad news….but UEFA have already shown weakness by not stating quite clearly that if Sion attempted to field any of these players they would be removed from teh tourney BEFORE the Celtic ties.
I think UEFA were simply hoping Celtic would beat them and therefore leave the matter with the Swiss FA to resolve.
Time for UEFA to show they really mean business or become a complete laughing stock or at least a bigger one !!
Plan A was certainly for Celtic to beat Sion and save UEFA from making a decision.
Their delay is dealing with it is worrying but it’s only making things worse.
Sion or Celtic have to fly to Madrid two weeks today, whatever the verdict an appeal is inevitable.