Jordan White admits belief is key to Ross County’s quest to claw back a two-goal deficit against Partick Thistle on Sunday as they battle for cinch Premiership survival.

The Staggies lost 2-0 in the first leg of the play-off final at Firhill on Thursday night where they played for the majority of the game with 10 men after 16-year-old defender Dylan Smith was sent off in the 17th minute for denying Aidan Fitzpatrick, who had netted the opener for the Championship side, an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Veteran Jags striker Brian Graham struck just before half-time with his 21st goal of the season to put Kris Doolan’s side in the box seat for the second leg in Dingwall.

However, Staggies striker White insists the tie is not over yet.

The 31-year-old said: “I don’t think I would have taken 2-0 at any time but under the circumstances I think we did well to come out the way we have.

“The first half isn’t how we wanted it to go but we have another game to put it right.

“The belief in the group is always there and there’s no point turning up thinking you can’t do it as you are on to a loser then. It is only half-time in the tie, that’s all it is.

“Other than the Kilmarnock game (3-1 defeat) I think we have performed pretty well since the split.

“It all comes down to Sunday now and we have to look after ourselves and put in a performance. No one in the dressing room wants a relegation on their CV.

“Partick have had a good night on Thursday but we have to take our medicine and move on.”

White believes home advantage could be “massive” as County look to turn the tie around against a Jags side who are unbeaten in 11 games.

He said: “Partick played well but coming up against 10 men for 75 minutes probably made it a bit easier for them.

“We can’t use it as an excuse but we know what we can do and we are confident going into the game.

“It was disappointing on Thursday but we need the fans behind us and they can be a big help, especially if we get an early goal.”

Sergio Ramos will follow Lionel Messi out of Paris St Germain with the French champions confirming the veteran Spanish defender’s exit at the end of his contract.

Ramos has spent the past two seasons at the Parc des Princes after joining from Real Madrid on a free transfer, but he stands to make his final appearance in Saturday’s match against Clermont Foot.

The 37-year-old has won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles with PSG, scoring five goals in 57 appearances, although his form was often questioned and his departure is not seen as a surprise.

“Wearing the Red and Blue shirt for the last two years has been a wonderful experience,” Ramos said in a statement.

“I’ve had an unforgettable adventure in Paris and I’d like to thank you all for your support and love. Allez Paris!”

He later added on Twitter: “Tomorrow will be a special day, tomorrow I will say goodbye to another stage of my life, goodbye to PSG.”

Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: “We would like to express our immense gratitude to Sergio Ramos for the two years he has spent with us.

“Sergio’s leadership, team spirit and professionalism, combined with his experience at the highest level, make him a true football legend, and it was an honour to have him in Paris. Everyone at the club wishes him all the best.”

Joao Moutinho and Diego Costa are to leave Wolves when their current contracts expire with Adama Traore still in talks over an extension.

The Premier League club’s sporting director Matt Hobbs has confirmed that 36-year-old Portuguese midfielder Moutinho and Brazil-born Spanish striker Costa, 34, will officially depart at the end of this month.

Hobbs told the club’s official website: “Joao’s going to go down as one of the best players to ever pull on the old gold, in my opinion.

“He was an integral part of the team the entire time he was here. Our success over the last four or five years, he’s been instrumental in. So, he now departs with nothing but thanks from the football club.

“We thank Joao for all he did at Wolves and wish him the best of luck for the future.”

Moutinho joined the club from Monaco in July 2018 and made 212 appearances for Wanderers.

On former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea frontman Costa, Hobbs added: “It feels the natural time to part ways because he was on a one-year contract. There was some internal conversations and we felt this was right.

“I’ve got no doubt that Diego will get another club off the back of his performances for sure. If a club calls me to ask about the person, he’ll get nothing but praise from me.”

Traore, however, could yet have a future at Molineux with manager Julen Lopetegui keen to keep the 27-year-old and discussions are ongoing.

Hobbs said: “He’s now out of contract, but it doesn’t mean there’s not an opportunity to still come to an agreement, so conversations will be ongoing. He’s probably earned the right to understand what else is out there.

“Sometimes it’s not possible, but we’ll certainly be trying. We hope we can come to an agreement but let’s see what happens over the next few weeks.”

Hearts and Hibernian have been served with a notice of complaint by the Scottish Football Association after disorder among their players and staff at the end of last weekend’s fiery Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle.

At full-time, following a clash that ended 1-1, two skirmishes erupted on the pitch, one directly in front of the two technical areas and another just moments afterwards in the centre circle.

Hearts goalkeeping coach Paul Gallacher and substitute shot-stopper Ross Stewart as well as Hibs manager Lee Johnson and unused substitute Rocky Bushiri were all shown red cards for their part in the post-match chaos.

And on Friday it emerged that the two clubs have been charged, alleged to have breached disciplinary rule 204, which states that: “All clubs and recognised football bodies shall procure that its officials, team staff, employees and players conduct themselves in an orderly fashion at all times during and/or after a match.

“In particular, clubs and recognised football bodies are responsible for ensuring that its officials, team staff, employees and players refrain from any one or a combination of the following: (a) becoming involved in a confrontation; b) conduct that is likely to lead to or to exacerbate or prolong a hostile or argumentative situation with players and/or team staff from the opposing team and/or match officials; (c) conduct that may otherwise incite disorder.”

The hearing for both clubs is due to take place on June 29.

Tony Docherty has secured his first signing as Dundee manager after Joe Shaughnessy pledged to join the cinch Championship title winners.

The former Aberdeen, Southend and St Johnstone defender will join Dundee when his St Mirren contract expires next week.

Docherty told his club’s website: “I worked with Joe as a young player at Aberdeen and he is the type of person I want at this football club.

“I know what I’m getting with Joe. He has a great work ethic and attitude. He has great experience of the league having captained both St Mirren and St Johnstone.

“There was a lot of competition from other clubs to get him, so I’m delighted he has chosen to sign for us.”

The Irish defender had an offer to stay in Paisley but opted to move on.

The 30-year-old said: “I am really excited to get started at Dundee and work with the manager again. I’ve had positive chats with him over the last few days and I can’t wait to get in for the first day of pre-season and get started.”

Lee Ashcroft and Harrison Sharp earlier signed two-year contracts to stay on at Dens Park.

“I have loved my three years at the club so far and am looking forward to hopefully a successful season in the top division after winning the league last year,” 29-year-old former Kilmarnock and Dunfermline defender Ashcroft said.

Goalkeeper Sharp made 14 appearances last season, seven of them in the league.

The 22-year-old said: “I thoroughly enjoyed last season and some of the memories that we made as a squad are memories that will last forever, and now I can’t wait to be back playing in the league where we belong.”

The pair follow goalkeeper Adam Legzdins, long-serving full-back Cammy Kerr and homegrown midfielder Lyall Cameron in agreeing to stay since promotion was secured early last month.

The Dark Blues announced earlier this week that Alex Jakubiak, Jordan Marshall, Paul McMullan, Luke Strachan, Paul McGowan and Cillian Sheridan had not been offered new contracts.

Barcelona boss Jonatan Giraldez believes experience will be key in the Women’s Champions League final against Wolfsburg.

The teams face off in Eindhoven on Saturday with Barca going for a second title and Wolfsburg a third.

Barca have won one – in 2021 – and lost two – in 2019 and last year – of the finals they have played.

Wolfsburg have been beaten finalists three times, most recently in 2020, and won the competition in 2013 and 2014.

Giraldez said: “Experience is one of the most important things and that goes for all areas of life. The more experience you have the better you will do.

“That doesn’t just go for Barcelona but also national teams. The more finals you have played in the better you know how to approach the week leading up to it, the match itself, mentally.

“All of that is important in football and sometimes you need time to gain that experience.”

Barca travelled to Eindhoven on Friday with a fully-fit squad after Lucy Bronze and Fridolina Rolfo were passed fit.

Giraldez added: “We need to minimise their strengths. We will be wary of their quick attacks and set-pieces. We want to dominate the game and not let them show their strengths.”

Wolfsburg finished second to Bayern Munich in the Frauen-Bundesliga this season and boss Tommy Stroot believes they can capture the title in Holland.

He said: “It is a realistic objective, I have made so many positive experiences. This final is very special for me and it’s always been an objective.

“It’s always the same thing for us, to decode the structure, to see what kind of frequencies they use. That is our daily work and my players know that as well.

“It’s a final but it’s no different to the semi-final against Arsenal. We try to watch even more games and decode even more things just to be prepared for every scenario possible.

“Our players are ready. It’s something special, not many teams have that privilege in a final. We have all the options to react on anything.”

Danny Devine admits he has allowed himself to dream about the prospect of becoming a two-time Scottish Cup winner with Inverness.

The 30-year-old defender is one of only two members of the current squad who played a part when Caley Thistle enjoyed the greatest day in their history by defeating Falkirk in the 2015 final.

Aaron Doran was the other player who featured in John Hughes’ triumphant team eight years ago, and now the pair are desperate to experience similar glory this weekend by helping the cinch Championship side stun treble-chasing Celtic in Saturday’s showdown at Hampden.

“What we did in 2015 was massive, especially for the city of Inverness, being up in the Highlands and everything else that brings with it,” Devine told the PA news agency.

“I look back on that day with fond memories. It was historic for the club and there’s no reason why this club can’t push on forward and have more days like that, like we’re going to have tomorrow.

“There’s only two of us left from that cup-winning side. We have the experience of doing it before, which will hopefully help us individually and help the team.

“It was obviously the best point of my career and to go and do it again would be absolutely huge, especially with the opponent we face. It’s going to be extremely tough but with a little bit of luck, you never know.”

Asked if he had allowed himself to ponder life as a two-time Scottish Cup winner, Northern Irishman Devine said: “Of course, yes. You always try and visualise what it would be like if we could go there and pull off a huge upset, then you quickly bring yourself back down to earth by recognising the actual size of the task at hand.

“But of course I’ve thought about it. When the game time comes that will be completely out of my head and I’ll just be focused on the game itself and doing my job.”

Devine hopes the cup-winning experience he and Doran possess can help Billy Dodds’ young squad handle the occasion this time round.

“There’s nothing like experience,” he said. “I think having played in these big games in the past definitely helps, in the lead-up to it and managing the nerves and stuff like that.

“We’ve got quite a young squad here with a few local boys and it’s good for them to pick our brains and find out little bits and bobs of what it’s like on the day. It’s good for us to be there if we can help them in any way.”

Inverness, who were in the top flight at the time, had to conquer Ronny Deila’s Celtic side in the semi-final on their run to glory in 2015.

Devine was sidelined by injury that day and watched from the stand as his colleagues took advantage of a red card for Hoops goalkeeper Craig Gordon to win 3-2 after extra-time. He believes memories of that occasion can give the current side hope as they bid to stop Ange Postecoglou’s formidable side.
“I know this Celtic team is firing on all cylinders but they had some pretty good players back then as well,” said Devine. “Virgil Van Dijk scored a free-kick that day and they were an extremely good side.

“They were no mugs back then so that definitely gives us confidence. I know it’s a bit different this time because we’re in the division below but the belief is there within this squad, we’re a tight-knit group and we’ll be giving it our best shot.

“We’ve played about eight semi-finals and finals in our short history and this is our second Scottish Cup final in eight years, which is absolutely huge for a club of this size, and I think that comes from that underdog spirit and everybody being together up here in the Highlands.”

Celtic face Inverness in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday in a match with numerous discussion points around the game.

The Hoops are aiming for a 41st triumph in the competition while Caley Thistle bid to make it two wins from two final appearances.

Here are some of the key issues ahead of the Hampden encounter.

The last dance?

“We have done this dance a few times this year,” said Ange Postecoglou after being quizzed over reports that Tottenham had made him their top candidate for their managerial vacancy. The Celtic manager has been linked with numerous Premier League jobs this season – Leeds, Everton, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Leicester and Chelsea to name a few – and he pointed out there had been another favourite for the Spurs job last week. The Australian stressed that nothing would distract him from preparing for Saturday’s game but Celtic fans approach the final with anxious thoughts over the future.

Treble chance

Postecoglou is looking to emulate Jock Stein, Martin O’Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon in securing a clean sweep of domestic honours in the one season in what has been classed as a world-record eighth treble. Postecoglou is determined to write that chapter of the club’s history and make it a fifth treble in seven seasons to underline Celtic’s dominance in Scotland.

Will lightning strike again?

Celtic must overcame opponents who have caused them all sorts of problems in the Scottish Cup, since their first meeting in 2000 when First Division Caley Thistle won 3-1 at Parkhead in their sixth season in the league, costing John Barnes his job as Hoops manager. John Robertson’s then top-flight side repeated the feat three years later, three days after Celtic had won at Anfield on their way to the UEFA Cup final. A hat-trick of shocks was completed in the 2015 semi-finals as Ronny Deila’s side saw their treble hopes collapse in a controversial 3-2 defeat. John Hughes’ team went on to lift the trophy. Celtic have won four of the seven Scottish Cup meetings but have twice needed to come from behind.

Rested or rusty?

Caley Thistle finished sixth in the Championship, with a late winner from Ayr’s Josh Mullin ending their play-off hopes in the final minutes of the season. Billy Dodds’ side have not played a competitive fixture since that May 5 game, a friendly against Dean Shiels’ Dungannon Swifts side the only time they have appeared.

Kyogo or no go?

Celtic top goalscorer Kyogo Furuhashi is a fitness doubt after coming off worse in a 50-50 with Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelle Roos last weekend. The Japan forward, who has 33 goals this season, did not train until Friday but history would suggest he will declare himself fit. The 28-year-old scored a match-winning double against Hibernian in last season’s League Cup final despite nursing a hamstring injury which would soon rule him out for more than three months. He also notched both Celtic goals in this season’s final against Rangers.

European dream

Caley Thistle will guarantee European group stage football if they win – they will go into the Europa League play-offs and drop into the Conference League group if they lose. Aberdeen and Hibernian fans will be cheering on Celtic. The Dons will get the Europa League play-off spot if Celtic win but enter the Conference League qualifiers otherwise, while Hibs need a Hoops win to qualify for Europe. It is all or nothing for Caley Thistle with the Scottish Cup runners-up no longer getting a European place.

Cup reprieve

Inverness could find themselves featuring in quiz questions for decades if they pull off a shock, as the team that won the Scottish Cup despite losing in an earlier round. Caley Thistle were beaten 2-0 by Queen’s Park in a rearranged fourth-round tie but the Spiders were expelled from the competition for fielding an ineligible player – Euan Henderson had been signed on loan from Hearts after the original date. Inverness seized their second chance by defeating Premiership sides Livingston and Kilmarnock before a 3-0 semi-final win against Falkirk.

Kick-off controversy

In a break with tradition, the game will kick off at 5.30pm after the Scottish Football Association elected to make way for the Manchester derby FA Cup final in a bid to maximise television exposure. The decision disappointed both clubs and Inverness blamed the later kick-off as the reason they handed back 2,500 tickets.

Treble-chasing Manchester City could be close to full strength as they take on arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

The champions have had fitness concerns in the build-up to the Wembley showpiece.

Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji all missed last weekend’s final Premier League game of the season at Brentford for a variety of reasons.

Training for the quartet was also curtailed as City opted not to take risks ahead of what is a momentous period in the club’s history with the Champions League final to follow next week.

Manager Pep Guardiola says the whole squad is now looking fit and healthy.

He said: “They’ve trained well in the last two training sessions. They are all of them, more or less, fine.”

One member of City’s first-choice XI who will not start, however, is goalkeeper Ederson.

Back-up Stefan Ortega has featured in all domestic cup fixtures this season and, after also playing in two of the last three Premier League games, will be given the nod at Wembley.

“Stefan is going to play,” said Guardiola of the German, who has not conceded a goal in the FA Cup this term.

“I have always been like that in the FA Cup. The keeper who has played in the FA Cup is going to play in the FA Cup (final).”

Guardiola is preparing for a tough contest against a United side who will not be short of incentives at Wembley.

As well the usual cup final and derby motivations, United are also bidding to prevent City emulating their so far unique achievement of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season.

City thrashed United 6-3 early in their manager Erik ten Hag’s reign back in October but Guardiola feels they are a considerably better side now.

He said: “A final is special for itself but what United have been doing in the last four, five, six months – they are a completely different team from the beginning of the season when we faced them here.

“I have the feeling that the team has improved from the beginning of the season – the patterns are more clear and the quality they have.”

Guardiola insists he is taking the fixture in isolation and not yet thinking about it in the context of a potentially glorious treble.

He said: “It would be good for us if we think about what we have to do to win one game.

“We have to analyse the strength of our opponent and see the weaknesses they have. The focus is, it’s a football game, that’s the most important thing.

“What’s (said) outside is normal, we cannot control it, but the last two games of the season we have to do what we have to do on the pitch to win the game.”

Pep Guardiola has eased concerns over the fitness of a number of key Manchester City players ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester United on Saturday.

Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji all missed the champions’ final Premier League game of the season at Brentford last week.

Those players have all since returned to training and are expected to come back into contention for both the Wembley showpiece and next weekend’s Champions League final in Istanbul.

City manager Guardiola said: “They’ve trained well in the last two training sessions. They are all of them, more or less, fine.”

Guardiola has also confirmed second-choice goalkeeper Stefan Ortega will start at Wembley, in keeping with his usual policy for domestic cup fixtures.

The German, who started two of the last three Premier League games, has not yet conceded in the FA Cup this season.

Guardiola said: “Stefan is going to play. I have always been like that in the FA Cup. The keeper who has played in the FA Cup is going to play in the FA Cup (final).”

Steven Nzonzi feels there is still a place for Sam Allardyce and his style of management, despite the former England manager having suffered two relegations in his last two jobs.

Allardyce could not save Leeds United from dropping to the Championship, with the 68-year-old failing to win any of his four games in charge after he replaced Javi Gracia in May.

Leeds confirmed on Friday that Allardyce would be leaving the club.

It is the second Premier League relegation on Allardyce's CV, after he also went down with West Brom in the 2020-21 season. 

Nzonzi, who worked under Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers, feels his old boss' style of management is not outdated.

He told Stats Perform: "Of course, there is a place, there is no question about it, he has great experience and I think that Leeds may have brought him a little bit late.

"I played under Sam Allardyce, and trust me he is a big character, and he has big charisma.

"So, for me, to save a team he is one of the best for sure, but it is difficult to come in and he managed four games. I think it was a bit too late.

"But of course, he has great experience, so he can still manage in the Premier League, in the Championship, he is a great coach, I have great memories of working with him, amazing memories."

Indeed, Nzonzi, who would go on to represent major clubs like Sevilla and Roma after playing under Big Sam, says Allardyce is the coach he is most grateful to.

"That would be impossible for me to say, I enjoyed so many managers," he said when asked who the best coach he had worked under was.

"The one I enjoyed the most was [Jorge] Sampaoli, but the one I am more grateful about is Sam Allardyce, because I came from the second division in France and to start me in the Premier League against Manchester City, for the first game of the season - it was the game that changed my vision and my life. 

"It gave me confidence that I have the ability to play at a high level, so I would say Sam Allardyce for that."

Manchester United have been hit by a setback for Antony ahead of the FA Cup final, with Erik ten Hag saying it is “unlikely” the winger will be fit to face Manchester City.

The 23-year-old winger went down in agony last Thursday during the first half of the penultimate Premier League game of the season against Chelsea.

Antony left on a stretcher and Ten Hag feared a “serious” injury, only to allay concerns three days later by saying the “first assessment is not too bad” and that he had a “good opportunity” to face City.

But this week has not gone as well as expected and the Brazil international now looks set to miss the first ever all-Manchester FA Cup final.

“Unlikely (he will be fit),” he said. “Dos Santos (Antony) still has a chance but it’s a really small chance.

“He didn’t make the progress, so he still has a chance but unlikely he is available.”

Lisandro Martinez, Marcel Sabitzer and Donny van de Beek have long since been ruled out of the final, while Anthony Martial’s injury-hit season will end on the sidelines.

The 27-year-old strained a hamstring towards the end of Sunday’s win against Fulham and will miss the Wembley showdown after scans showed a muscle tear.

“These questions so many times about the absence of players in the last couple of months,” Ten Hag said.

“Every time I say the same answer: it’s about the players who are available and many times we were successful.

“We have a good squad and from that good squad we make a good team.”

Absentee-hit United wrapped up third spot last weekend and are looking to complete the domestic cup double for the first time, having lifted the Carabao Cup in February.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Emirates FA Cup (@emiratesfacup)

Ten Hag says Saturday will be a “good test” against Premier League champions City, who are looking to take another step towards the treble by winning at Wembley.

United fans are desperate for their side to extinguish those dreams as Pep Guardiola’s men look to replicate Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1999 treble heroes.

“We want to win, we want to win a cup,” Ten Hag said. “It’s not about stopping them. It is about that we win, that we win the cup. We have a great opportunity.

“That’s great that we deserved that opportunity to be in the cup final and then meet Man City. That’s a great opportunity.

“We fought so hard for it. I think we progressed that well that we are in that FA Cup final.”

City won this season’s first meeting 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium, with United coming back to win 2-1 at Old Trafford in January.

Ten Hag’s Red Devils finished 14 points behind the Premier League winners and a big summer lies ahead as they look to launch a sustained title challenge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LMA (@leaguemanagersassociation)

“I think they do a very good job,” the Dutchman said days after Ferguson named Guardiola as LMA Manager of the Year – a trophy that carries the United great’s name.

“They play very good football, so they deserve it.

“Of course I look at others because they are opponents and I evaluate it, but we look to ourselves.

“You have to see where you are as club. From thereon, you have to make progress and I think we did over the last season.

“We make very good progress, we are in a good direction and now we use the coming period as well.

“Now we get the opportunity in the summer to make new targets, new goals on the short term.

“But the longer term, yeah, that will stay the same. As I said last year, we want to restore Man United but we have a way to go.”

Former England international Jesse Lingard will leave Nottingham Forest at the end of his contract.

Lingard raised eyebrows when he joined Forest last season following their promotion to the Premier League, turning down West Ham to sign a lucrative one-year deal.

But his time at the City Ground did not work out and he made just 20 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals in the Carabao Cup.

He featured just four times in 2023, but was a constant presence on the touchline as Forest beat the odds to retain their Premier League status.

The 30-year-old will now look for a third club in three years, with reports linking him to a number of cash-rich leagues abroad.

Andre Ayew, who signed a short-term contract in January, will also depart the City Ground this summer, along with Jack Colback, Cafu, Lyle Taylor and Jordan Smith.

Right-back Serge Aurier, who was a key performer in Forest’s survival mission, has triggered the one-year option in his contract so will stay for the 2023/24 campaign.

Loanees Dean Henderson, Keylor Navas and Renan Lodi come to the end of their deals, though Forest are understood to be interested in exploring permanent moves for Manchester United goalkeeper Henderson and Brazilian Lodi.

Forest are not expected to have a repeat of last summer’s recruitment drive, which saw them sign 22 players by the end of the transfer window and go up to 30 by the end of January.

But it is still likely to be busy as boss Steve Cooper targets a smaller number of quality additions and will be keen to move several players on as he trims a bloated squad.

UEFA has confirmed referee Szymon Marciniak will remain in charge of next week’s Champions League final after investigating his alleged links with a far-right movement.

Marciniak was under review after speaking at a recent event organised by Polish far-right leader Slawomir Mentzen and his role as match official for Manchester City’s clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10 was in doubt.

But UEFA is satisfied that Marciniak had been “gravely misled and completely unaware of the true nature and affiliations of the event in question” and will keep the 42-year-old Pole as referee.

UEFA said: “Following Mr. Marciniak’s statement, UEFA acknowledges his profound apologies and clarification.

“UEFA also reached out to “NEVERAGAIN,” an NGO affiliated with the FARE network, which raised the initial concerns about Mr. Marciniak’s involvement in the event.

“They requested that Mr. Marciniak remain in his role as the referee for the upcoming UEFA Champions League final, firmly asserting that removing him would undermine the promotion of anti-discrimination.

“Based on the information provided, UEFA confirms that Mr. Marciniak will fulfil his role as the referee for the 2023 UEFA Champions League final.”

The organiser of the event at which Marciniak was a guest speaker, co-chairman of the Confederation party Mentzen, launched the political slogan ‘We stand against Jews, gays, abortion, taxation and the European Union’.

Anti-racism group Never Again had urged UEFA to drop Marciniak after the event at the International Congress Centre in Katowice.

Marciniak said in a statement: “I want to express my deepest apologies for my involvement and any distress or harm it may have caused.

“Upon reflection and further investigation, it has become evident that I was gravely misled and completely unaware of the true nature and affiliations of the event in question.

Marciniak, second right, refereed December’s World Cup final in Qatar (Nick Potts/PA)

“I had no knowledge that it was associated (with) a Polish extreme-right movement. Had I been aware of this fact, I would have categorically declined the invitation.

“It is important to understand that the values promoted by this movement are entirely contrary to my personal beliefs and the principles I strive to uphold in my life. I am deeply remorseful for any perception that my participation may have contradicted them.”

Marciniak, 42, became the first Polish referee to take charge of a World Cup final in Qatar last December when Argentina beat France on penalties.

He refereed the second leg of City’s semi-final win against Real Madrid and has taken charge of seven other Champions League fixtures.

Alistair Johnston discovered that every triumph was special at Celtic when seeing the joy on serial winner Callum McGregor’s face as the captain lifted the first two trophies of the season.

Johnston is one match away from completing a clean sweep of major honours in Scotland five months after joining Celtic from Montreal.

McGregor is going for his 20th winners’ medal on Saturday when Celtic face Inverness in the Scottish Cup final and Johnston expects it would mean just as much for his skipper to again meet the demands and expectations of fans.

The 24-year-old said: “I know the extraordinary has become ordinary a little bit at this club with how many trophies they have lifted over the past decade. But still, for guys like myself, this would be my third-ever trophy in my entire career.

“And I know Cal is probably on 40 or whatever it is but even for him, when you see how much excitement and joy it brings to him and guys like that – James Forrest, I mean he might be on 50 for all I know – you can really tell how much it means.

“When you see that from the older guys who have been there and done that, especially as a new guy, you are like ‘okay, yeah, this is really big’. I am really excited and I would love to be a part of it.

“When you see over the past decade, not only the trophies but the trebles that have been won, you almost take it for granted a little bit that ‘oh, Celtic won another one, it’s not that big of a deal’.

“But now, being here and truly understanding and seeing the work that goes on behind the scenes and just the amount of effort that each guy puts in, it really rings true to me. It’s like ‘wow, each one of these is special’.

“Just because some guys have won a lot of them, it doesn’t make that next one any less special.

“I am just really excited to be in a position where I could potentially be walking out of here after six months with a treble. That is everything and more I could have asked for, but when I came in those were the expectations, that was what was put on me, it’s trophies or nothing.

“I am just really happy we are delivering for our fans so far but it will be a big match this weekend, it won’t be easy.”

Johnston’s appetite has been further whetted by seeing clips of previous Hampden success, including the penalty shoot-out that won Celtic the Scottish Cup against Hearts in 2020 to clinch the quadruple treble.

The Canada international said: “It gave you that hunger as one of the new players: ‘I want to be part of that, I want to leave my mark on this club as well’.

“As you get closer to these finals, some of those clips come up and it really puts things in perspective. You can just see the joy it brings to the fans and players. That’s something you want to be part of as a footballer.”

At one stage Johnston feared he would not be part of it after suffering a leg injury in a tackle on Rangers full-back Borna Barisic in the semi-final, but he fought back to fitness to play in the final match of the league season against Aberdeen last weekend.

“When I made the tackle, I thought it could be an issue,” he said. “Just because when I stood up and realised I couldn’t put any real weight on it.

“But the scans were better than expected and I have done a lot with the medical team, they have been unbelievable. They have been in every day pretty much with me doing the long hours because I made it really clear I wanted to be back, not only for the cup final, but I wanted to be back to be in contention for selection for the Aberdeen match because I wanted to be out on that pitch.

“You could probably see the joy it brought me being out there, I was loving life. Even though I got a bit tight, it was just precautionary to get me off.

“Now all the focus is on the cup final. I feel good enough to be able to go. I don’t think anyone is perfect at this point of the season.

“They are long years, a lot of matches, a lot of minutes on everyone’s bodies. But it’s a cup final, an opportunity to lift a trophy, and you can get through some pretty serious pain for that.”