BT Sport have warned Rangers they won’t allow the club to pick and choose their pundits after Chris Sutton was again denied entry to Ibrox.
The former Parkhead striker was due to be part of the broadcaster’s coverage of the Europa League double header featuring Bayer Leverkusen v Celtic and Rangers v Sparta Prague.
Sutton and ex-team-mate Neil Lennon weren’t permitted entry to the Rangers game with Lyon in September on ‘safety’ grounds.
Rangers refused Chris Sutton entry to Ibrox, prompting a backlash by BT Sport
After the Englishman received a second rejection from Rangers, BT Sport set up a studio in an empty Celtic Park and abandoned plans to broadcast from Ibrox.
The German Celtic team was not yet established. BT Sport host Darrell Currie read out a prepared statement outlining the company’s standpoint – as he introduced Sutton as the ‘elephant in the room’.
Sutton was at Ibrox for broadcast punditry during Rangers’ match with Sparta Prague
He said: ‘We have a presentation team who reflect all angles and experiences in Scottish football but who were not all provided with the necessary accreditation at Ibrox today.
‘We will not be forced to split a team behind and in front of screen. The only way to provide viewers with the continuity of coverage across tonight’s two matches – featuring Celtic and Rangers – was to set up a studio elsewhere.
‘We decided with Celtic playing first that we would come to Celtic Park and joining us for this one is Chris Sutton and Stilian Petrov.’