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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Steven Mair

Albanian president to visit Celtic Park for the first time as super fan statesman's dream finally realised

There's uncertainty over just how big the Parkhead crowd will be on Tuesday afternoon when Celtic continue their Europa League campaign.

But the place will be graced with a state visit for the game against Ferencvaros – as Albanian president Ilir Meta attends for the very first time.

His left-field love affair with all things Hoops is well-known but given running the Balkan country takes precedence it's understandable why he's been unable to attend.

But Meta will be in town for the Group G clash, which has something of an unusual kick-off time.

The match was switched from Europa League matchday four by UEFA as Scotland's police force will be stretched to their limit for the first fortnight in November due to the COP26 climate conference also taking place in the city.

But with Rangers playing at home this week against Brondby, Celtic couldn't host on the same night.

That prompted a switch to Tuesday and as UEFA rules dictate a Europa League match can't clash with the Champions League fixtures on the same day, the 3.30pm start time was announced.

As a Paris Accord signatory, Meta or some form of Albanian representation will be expected at COP26.

And that could explain his visit to Parkhead, which was confirmed by close friend and former Hoops defender Rudi Vata's wife on Twitter.

She wrote: "Welcome President Ilir Meta to Glasgow..He's so looking forward to his first visit to Paradise tomorrow."

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