Celtic's Moritz Engels breaks silence on being hit by coin during Rangers defeat

Engels fell to the ground after being struck before being checked over by referee John Beaton and playing on for the final few minutes of the 3-0 defeat.

Celtic defender Moritz Engels has opened up on being struck by a coin during his side's 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.

The German centre-back was left floored by the object after being targeted by a member of the home support during the closing stages of the match.

Engels was checked over by referee John Beaton before continuing on for the final few minutes of the Viaplay Cup semi-final.

A coin was later handed over to a security officer by Beaton, with the object then being bagged by a policeman as evidence. Investigations are ongoing into the matter.

And now, Engels has broken his silence on the incident after returning to Dingwall for training on Tuesday.

"I'm good. At the beginning, it was a bit sore but at the end it was okay," he told members of the press.

"It's not really nice to experience things like that. You just want to play your game and enjoy your football, it was not really enjoyable that night.

"It was not a really nice incident."

Engels was pushed on how he managed to recover and continue playing after being struck by the coin.

"You always need to switch on, you always need to think on the next situation and that is what everybody is telling you. I think that's what I did," he added.

"In the end, you can always look back on it and think, 'Yeah, maybe it was not really nice' or this or that.

"Yet, you need to perform. I think it was the last ten minutes or something and you still need to play in a high-level game, you still need to do it."

Engels went on to explain that he was aware of similar incidents in world football and has been subject to beer lobbed from stands but was left stunned after being hit with the coin at Ibrox.

"Sometimes you see things like that or beer spilling all over you but not really throwing things on top of your head," he said.

"It has never nice or good to happen in a football stadium.

"I think you guys never experienced something like it somebody will throw coins or something on your head during your work.

"It is never nice to see that happen or experience it but in the end, you need to go through."

A Celtic statement on the incidents read: "We understand that Police Scotland are currently investigating two separate incidents.

“The repeated targeting of our players and staff with missiles is quite appalling and completely unacceptable."

And Rangers added: “Rangers FC condemns this incident in the strongest possible terms.

“The club can confirm it will assist Police Scotland with their investigation.”