UEFA's investigation into last night's events at Celtic Park may result in a fine for Milan goalkeeper Nelson Dida as Celtic's chairman criticises him..

The Brazilian shot stopper had the worst possible night. At fault for both the Bhoys’ goals, he was then confronted by a fan who had invaded the pitch.

The supporter lightly tapped Dida on the cheek, but the towering custodian collapsed to the floor and was taken off on a stretcher.

Celtic chairman Brian Quinn has asked UEFA to investigate the Milan ‘keeper’s reaction to the attack and has condemned his play-acting.

“I’m making no excuses for the behaviour, and the fan behaved disgracefully, but the contact made with the goalkeeper was minimal,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.

“The antics of Dida have to be taken into account as well as he took a couple of steps after the fan and then obviously made the decision he should go to ground.

“Unless I missed something he was carried off on a stretcher for what seemed to be the lightest tap you can imagine.”

UEFA communications director William Gaillard has revealed that there could be action taken shortly.

“One of our prosecutors will look at the evidence and decide whether to open an investigation,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I don’t want to presume anything. There is a whole range of possible punishments, but of course there are precedents for the same kind of incidents.”

Dida was the centre of a controversial situation two seasons ago when a flare hit him during a clash with Inter in the Champions League.

On that occasion the Nerazzurri were forced to play four games behind closed doors, but this time there is more ambiguity.

It is possible that a fine could even be levelled at Dida after he chased the fan and then over-reacted to the contact.

Whatever the decision, a humiliating night of indignity at Celtic Park is likely to follow the under-fire ‘keeper for the foreseeable future.


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Great! So now Dida is the villain   I know he behaved badly, but it is funny how his behaviour is being made to overshadow the fact that he was attacked by a picth invader, especially by the british press.

Great! So now Dida is the villain   I know he behaved badly, but it is funny how his behaviour is being made to overshadow the fact that he was attacked by a picth invader, especially by the british press.

Great! So now Dida is the villain   I know he behaved badly, but it is funny how his behaviour is being made to overshadow the fact that he was attacked by a picth invader, especially by the british press.

"Milan should just give up football and concentrate on acting, maybe make a couple of movies. I wish Dida well as he recovers from that traumatic attack by a drunken midget."

We've turned into a joke!

This motherfucker has gone too far.   

Ohh but let us all go out and attack Dida .. Because he fell after the slightest touch

I guess they've forgotten they got to make a visit to Milan. This will be painful...

Yeah. It's funny how the Celtic fans get an ego after they beat us. Where were they last season!?

@R7: The fan has already been banned for life, that's what Celtic decided... UEFA are thinking of whether or not they are going to penalize Celtic.

Dida won't be (if) penalized for the fan's entrance!!!    

Why do people keep connecting the two incidents!! It's quite clear... a fan enters the green; who's responsible? Celtic... a male (man wouldn't describe him in this case) pretends he is a goalkeeper and dives for whatever reason! Who's responsible? Dida... Simple isn't it??        

I think blaming Celtic on this is totally unfair. There are 65,000 people in that stadium, how on earth can you control that amount of people, it IS impossible. You can't keep thousends of police inside of every game, that's just silly.

They are responsible. That's all there is to it.

What Dida did was wrong ! How many times do I have to say this ?! But considering the circumstances and us being on lookers, we can't really judge why he did what he did ! That is all I am saying.

The fact is that he simulated an injury for whatever reasons and that act requires penalization... it's as simple as that really.

Tell that to Materazzi, who did his fair share of feigning serious injury in three separate headbutting incidents over the past two years, and got away with two of them scott-free. The worst punishment he ever received was a small fine and a two-match suspension after the WC.

Who cares about the 'why's'?? The fact is that he simulated an injury for whatever reasons and that act requires penalization... it's as simple as that really.

Who cares about the whys ?! I care. It's not about is he wrong for simulating or not, because it was wrong! But considering the pressure he was under and after conceding such a late goal, he was under so much pressure that you would have to be in his shoes to understand. He might have just fallen and out of the pressure and anxiety cried (or whatever, .. u get my point) ! You never know .. All we get is what is fed to us through the media.

So what?? You really don't make any sense... you say he was wrong... well in my view, if you do something wrong then you have to be penalized! If you can't handle the pressure, quit!

The guy who jumped on the field just wanted to thank Dida, why should we punish him then??

Tell that to Materazzi, who did his fair share of feigning serious injury in three separate headbutting incidents over the past two years, and got away with two of them scott-free. The worst punishment he ever received was a small fine and a two-match suspension after the WC.

I know where I side on this one, and it's not with our female keeper.

Not fair..you haven't even met BMWTaylor. I'm eagerly waiting to buy her paintings, 10 years from now, they'll be so expensive and I'll be so rich..

I don't want to fight anymore.

We have our opinions on the matter and I'm not going to change your mind and vice versa, so it's silly of me to regularly engage in a ping-pong battle of words, because it's not worth it and you guys don't deserve it, so I'm ending this here.

But her (BMWs) stuff is fantastic!

I don't want to fight anymore.

Sorry, you know the rules...if this is your first night in fight club...err Milanfan you gotta fight.

Me thinks you are hitting on her esp with the English penchant for puns. And the whole Dida bashing was just to get her attention. Quite the player ur kurt.


Oh and ...
Sorry, you know the rules...if this is your first night in fight club...err Milanfan you gotta fight.

My personal guess is that it'll be a fine + match ban.

Banning Dida could be a blessing in disguise anyway

No doubt UEFA will let Celtic off the hook, because they're conveniently ignoring the fact that the whole thing started only after a fan entered the pitch. Just you wait.

I think they will get a fine of some sorts. Whatever Roma/United got last year. Maybe even be forced to play their other home group games behind closed doors.

Dida’s D-day arrives
Thursday 11 October, 2007
Milan goalkeeper Nelson Dida will discover if he is to be punished by UEFA for his actions in Glasgow when a statement is issued this afternoon.

The Brazilian shot-stopper received widespread criticism for his theatrical reaction to a blow struck by a fan, who had invaded the pitch following the Rossoneri’s Champions League defeat at Parkhead.

UEFA have been watching video evidence to establish whether or not Dida is in violation of Article 5 of their code of behaviour.

This rule states: “member associations, clubs, as well as their players, officials and members, shall conduct themselves according to the principles of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship.”

It is possible that Dida could be given a suspended sentence, but he may be handed a costly ban, which Milan can ill afford.

UEFA is taking a hard-line approach on sportsmanship and issued Lithuanian Saulius Mikoliunas a two-game ban for diving for a penalty against Scotland in September’s Euro 2008 qualifier.

Milan as a club will not face any action as their staff simply followed protocol by removing a player with a suspected head injury from the pitch.

UEFA's decision is expected to arrive at around 4pm.