Celtic’s Ryan Christie has been served with a notice of complaint from the Scottish Football Association following Sunday’s Old Firm game at Parkhead.
The Hoops attacker has been charged with allegedly grabbing Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos’ groin area in the 60th minute of the Gers’ 2-1 Ladbrokes Premiership win.
The sanction for breaching rule 200, A2 is a two-game ban and the Scotland international’s hearing is on January 6.
The 24-year-old had already been booked by referee Kevin Clancy when he appeared to grab at Morelos after he had been nutmegged by the Colombia attacker, with only a foul awarded.
Disciplinary Rule 200 is: “Where any one of the sending off offences of (A1) serious foul play, (A2) violent conduct, and (A3) spitting at an opponent or any other person is committed by a player at a match, but that sending off offence was not seen by any of the match officials at the time that it was committed, the mandatory suspension for that sending off offence as provided for in Annex C of the Judicial Panel Protocol shall be applied to the player.”
Celtic revealed that they would be giving Christie every backing.
A statement read: “We are absolutely astonished at this decision. Clearly we will defend Ryan vigorously.”
Christie had a penalty saved by Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor in the first half of a typically incident-packed Glasgow derby.
The former Inverness player was substituted with 10 minutes remaining and reports on Tuesday morning claim he had to have groin surgery after the game.
Christie’s case is fast-track and there is no specific time limit on reviewing any other potential disciplinary incidents.
Celtic had their lead over Rangers at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership cut to two points having played a game more than the Light Blues going into the winter break.
Neil Lennon’s side do not play again until they face Partick Thistle in the William Hill Scottish Cup on January 18, following their return from a winter training camp in Dubai.
