Thursday's Scottish Gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal says Scott Brown has no need to apologise for being sent off against Barcelona, despite the captain admitting he made a mistake by kicking out at Neymar in the Spanish side's Champions League Group H victory.

Full story: Daily Record

Barcelona midfielder Neymar says referee Stephane Lannoy was right to show Scott Brown a red card because the Celtic captain kicked him while he was on the ground during their Champions League Group H game.

Full story: The Scotsman (print edition)

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has described the atmosphere at Celtic Park as the best in Europe, while team-mate Cesc Fabregas thinks the home support will help Neil Lennon's side qualify from Champions League Group H.

Full story: Daily Record

Celtic had the least possession of any team in the Champions League this season when they lost to Barcelona, who had a 71% share.

Full story: Daily Express (print edition)

Former Celtic midfielder Roy Keane believes goalkeeper Fraser Forster's performance against Barcelona will have Joe Hart, who made a blunder in Manchester City's defeat by Bayern Munich, fearing for his England place.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Ajax winger Viktor Fischer believes his side must beat Celtic home and away to stand a chance of qualifying from Champions League Group H.

Full story: Daily Record (print edition)

Rangers investor Kieran Prior believes Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world, would struggle to make a profit at Ibrox after studying the club's accounts for the past year.

Full story: Daily Record

Hibernian chairman Rod Petrie says his club are the true second-best side in Scottish Premier League history as Rangers and Hearts, who come second and third behind Celtic, had not lived within their means and paid their creditors in full.

Full story: The Scotsman

Dundee United have told John Souttar there is no pressure to decide on his future after the 17-year-old travelled to Sunderland for signing talks after a £600,000 fee was agreed between the clubs for the defender.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

St Johnstone's hopes of signing George Bowerman on loan from Walsall could be thwarted by the English FA questioning two non-contract games the striker played for Woking.

Full story: Daily Record (print edition)

Motherwell's influential youth academy director, Gordon Young, is leaving to join an unnamed English club.

Full story: Daily Record (print edition)

Former Scotland midfielder Barry Ferguson faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines with Blackpool after undergoing an ankle operation.

Full story: Daily Mail (print edition)

Gordon Strachan has warned Jordan Rhodes that the Blackburn Rovers striker will need to keep learning if he wants to become a regular starter for Scotland, who are not yet good enough to accommodate a player who thrives on crosses from wide areas.

Full story: The Scotsman

OTHER GOSSIP

Hampden Park is set to be rubber-stamped as the host of the UK's two-day Diamond League meeting when IAAF chiefs meet next month in Monaco.

Full story: Daily Mail (print edition)

Scottish pair Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher are battling against a sickness bug ahead of representing Great Britain and Ireland in today's opening games against Europe in the Seve Trophy in Versailles.

Full story: Daily Record