As the final hours of 2019 ticked away the Compliance Officer of the SFA suddenly returned to action.
Five months into the domestic season an incident that had gone unpunished by the match referee appeared in the in-box and waranted action.
Late in the afternoon of December 31 Scotland midfielder Ryan Christie was offered a two match suspension. According to a statement given to the Glasgow Times Celtic will appeal against the suspension.
Christie was cited by the SFA for an incident involving Rangers forward Alfredo Moreloshttps://t.co/HAN4vY0ybO
— HeraldScotland (@heraldscotland) December 31, 2019
“Naughty” Alfredo Morelos catches Christopher Jullien with a real sore one pic.twitter.com/wAkU26NrYi
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) December 8, 2019
As Jullien clears the ball with his right foot Morelos approaches from behind, as Jullien’s left foot returns to the ground Morelos arrives typically late and stamps on his Achilles with his right foot.
@ClydeSSB morelos TRYING to get Jullien sent off! He’ll never learn, thug! pic.twitter.com/SrpbzP5uPv
— Mr Comic Book (@comicbookguy_UK) September 3, 2019
In the first derby match of the season substitute Morelos walks into the Celtic penalty box and deliberately uses his right foot to stamp on the right foot of Chris Jullien who is facing up to the free kick. Morelos follows this up by throwing his left elbow into the Celtic defenders chest.
Neither of the incidents at Hampden or Ibrox was dealt with retrospectively by the Compliance Officer.