13/03/2026
๐๐ข๐ข๐ง๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ฏ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฏ
Liverpool signed Senegalese striker El Hadji Diouf from French side Lens in June 2002 for around ยฃ10m - and in those days ยฃ10m was a decent amount to pay for a player! But Diouf proved to be a very poor signing playing just 55 Premier League games for the Reds in 2002/03 and 2003/04 and scoring just three goals in those matches โ two of those coming in his first game at Anfield! The lowest point of his Liverpool career came on this day in 2003 in a UEFA Cup quarter-final at Celtic in an off the field incident, literally just off the field! In the closing minutes of the game Diouf collided with the advertising boards and almost landed in a group of Celtic fans. They said they good-homouredly ruffled his hair and patted him on the back, Diouf said one hit him. But there is no doubt about what Diouf did โ he spat at the Celtic supporters which caused inevitable outrage amongst the Scots fans. Diouf was substituted and escorted to the changing rooms by the police. He was later fined two weeks wages by Liverpool โ the club then donated ยฃ60,000 to a Celtic approved charity โ and he ended up in Glasgow Sheriff Court where he was fined ยฃ5000. He also received a two-match UEFA ban. The match at Celtic ended in a 1-1 draw but the Scots won the โBattle of Britainโ tie with a 2-0 victory at Anfield in the second leg a week later. Celtic went on to reach the final where they were beaten by Porto.
Most of football fans doesn't know the story ๐
