Conor McGregor links up with Celtic manager days after 'punch' incident in Ibiza
Conor McGregor has linked up with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers in Ibiza.
Taking to social media on Friday evening, McGregor shared a snap of himself with the Hoops boss, who was holding a baby in the picture.
"LEGENDARY DOUBLE CHAMP LINK UP! NEXT YEAR, TREBLE! GOD IS GREAT! @CelticFC @ufc Congrats to the Rodgers family on the new addition to their family," wrote the UFC fighter on social media.
Rodgers' meeting with McGregor comes just days after the Irishman was involved in an altercation in an Ibiza nightclub.
In the early hours of Tuesday, at Pacha nightclub, The Sun released footage that allegedly showed the Irishman appearing to peer down to address an unidentified man in the middle of the dancefloor. Merely moments later, the 36-year-old appeared to throw two punches.
The man hit the deck, and onlookers have since come forward to recount their version of the alleged incident. One individual - who saw the whole thing - claimed there did not appear to be any consequences for the former dual-weight UFC champion.
"The guy seemed to fall to the floor, and his mates came to pick him up and get him away," he told The Sun. "There [didn't appear to be any] consequences for Conor."
Another said: "About five people fell to the floor as the guy stumbled back. It was a bit like bowling pins, but the guy was really shaken."
They added: "About a minute later, the bouncers came and got him on the back and took him out of the club."
"It was right before close anyway," they continued. "There was no messing around; they just removed him. Conor left through the garden a bit later; he didn't look very happy."
McGregor has since revealed that he was in Ibiza after flying his soccer teammates out to the Spanish island. The MMA fighter has been competing in an over 35's league with his pub team, and recently took home a league title.
"To celebrate winning the league I took the @blackforgeinn football squad away on holiday to Ibiza! All expenses paid, VIP's," the Dubliner wrote on social media as he shared a number of photos and videos from the trip.
He continued: "LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, BABY! Reach out, link up, join a team! Get active! For the sake of your mental health you will thank yourself! #ibizapartyisland."
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Stiliyan 'Stan' Petrov joined Glasgow Celtic from CSKA Sofia in 1999 and had a torrid time initially — before working in a burger van put him right. Four SPL titles, three SFA Cups, three League Cups, player of the year, a UEFA Cup runners-up medal, 228 appearances and 64 goals later, he would rejoin Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa. Many would pinpoint the standout win of his Celtic career as the 2002/03 two-legged UEFA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool, 1-1 at Paradise before a sensational 2-0 win at Anfield in the second leg. He he joined Villa in 2006, and would remain until pre-season 2016. While in Birmingham, he won a Sunday League junior football cup, a success Petrov describes as the biggest victory of his life. Diagnosed with acute leukaemia in March 2012, Petrov retired from football in May 2013 and after spells as Villa youth coach in 2013, assistant coach in 2015, he would resume full-time training with the first team squad ahead of the 2016/17 season. 'Leukaemia was probably the toughest of my own opponents,' he says. 'It was something that I had to battle really hard. 'It was three years of a difficult battle, highs and lows, dark moments, mental issues. But you know what, it just shows you how strong we are as human beings and it's something that I will always remember, I'll never forget. 'I was fortunate to have a great family, a great, great wife, Paulina, she kind of put her life aside to make sure that she looked after me. 'And that's why I have a foundation, based in Bulgaria, England and Spain, I always like to help because I know how important the support is and helping others makes a huge difference. 'We support over 50 hospitals around the world. We create events, we raise funds, and we donate money for other people to have a better treatment and better life.' That 2016/17 pre-season tour with the Villans saw Petrov score in an 8-0 win over Austrian team GAK, but he was not offered a contract by then-boss Roberto De Matteo. Yet still, Petrov had come a long way since arriving at Celtic as a teenager in 1999. 'Obviously the start was tough for me, I'd a new coach, the speed of the football as well made it even more difficult,' explains the former Bulgaria international. 'But mainly, I felt that not being able to communicate with my teammates pushed me further from the dressing-room, so it was making sure that I understand what's happening in the dressing-room and I felt that I had to find a solution. 'And my solution at that time was I had a friend who was Scottish, he owned the burger van and obviously noticed that I couldn't speak English, I couldn't explain things — I couldn't place an order. 'We started with basic things and, I'll never regret it because that gave me a chance to stay at Celtic and be successful.' It proved to be a seven-year stay, 1999-06, that coincided with an eclectic set of talented stars. 'I've enjoyed playing with pretty much everyone, he says. 'We had a very, very strong team in my time and, obviously, Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton, they are ones that you can pick out. 'But I've played with some great players with some great characters as well, Neil Lennon, Paul Lambert, Joos Valgaeren, Johan Mjallby and, further down the line, playing with Shunsuke Nakamura, who was exceptional as well.' The week-in, week-out support of the fans at Celtic was exceptional. 'I loved playing in front of the Celtic fans because they're passionate, they love the club and they follow everywhere the club goes. 'I actually spoke with Lenny the other day, he doesn't really play anymore, he is a bit big now! I think the last game he played was my testimonial at Celtic Park.' Martin O'Neill was a key man for Petrov. 'I got on very well with him, still have a great friendship after he finished managing and I finished my career. 'We still keep in touch. We do a lot of events together. 'I still call him Gaffer, I love him, we have that much respect, he is just unique and weird in his own way, but in a very nice way. 'He's a great man-manager, knows how to motivate players, how to handle players with a character. 'He had one strong side, which is he always wanted to win and he sent that message every single day in a dressing-room and that made a huge difference.' Contrary to popular belief and despite being O'Neill's first signing, Petrov didn't 'follow him' to Villa. 'It wasn't my intention to go and play with Martin again,' reveals Petrov. 'I was down to sign for Portsmouth when Harry Redknapp and Portsmouth were doing very well. 'It's funny how things work but me and Gareth Barry, who was at Villa where Martin O'Neill was fighting to keep him, we both were going down to sign for Portsmouth, but we both ended up at Aston Villa. 'The opportunity to work with Martin was a great pleasure because I knew how he worked. I knew how dependable he was and I loved playing under him at Aston Villa.' There was always a big club feel about Villa and their noisy Holt End fans. 'The fans at Villa are very demanding and I loved that. 'Under Martin, he created a really strong team, a really competitive team, with some good balance and a good mix between experienced players and younger players. 'And I think if you look at the Villa now they're kind of continuing that, they want to have a competitive team, not just domestically, but on the European stage as well.' Under O'Neill, there were three consecutive sixth-place Premier League finishes, an FA cup semi-final in 2010 and three European football seasons, 2009-11. 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It was the best because when you win the game, you know what, you have a pint with your friends. 'You discuss the game, what's happening in the Premier League, world football, you have great craic and build up for the next weekend.' The former Villa captain feels there is more to come from his old side as they look to build on a first-ever Champions League campaign. They were beaten 5-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals by eventual winners PSG, finished sixth in the league and made the last four in the FA Cup. Indeed, eight wins in the last ten Premier League games, their two losses coming in Manchester against City and then United on the last day, saw them only miss out on CL participation on goal difference. 'It's great what they have achieved in the last two seasons,' says 'Stan'. 'The Champions League performance there has been incredible last season, this year it will be Europa League but I think they won't really bother about that because there will be another European competition. 'And with a super manager in Unai Emery, the team and the way he works, and with my two favourites, Morgan Rogers and 'Super' John McGinn, they've got a good chance to go further in that competition.' Petrov notes Ireland's recent form under new management — four wins, four losses and two draws. But the ex-Bulgaria international has warned against misplaced optimism about the 'win' column as his country accounts for two of those four. Bulgaria may have been to seven World Cups (finishing fourth in 1994) but they have not been to a major championship since Euro 2004 and are uncompetitive at present. Recent Bulgaria results include a five-goal defeat to Northern Ireland, four-goal defeats to Greece, Switzerland, a 5-2 reverse at home to Georgia, and draws with Belarus (twice), Cyprus and Luxembourg. 'Bulgarian football is shadowed by corruption and match-fixing and people who depend on political support,' says Petrov, who made a record 105 appearances and scored eight goals for his country. 'And this makes it even harder for the younger players, for the coaches and for all the football ecosystem in Bulgarian football to flourish because we've been struggling for many, many years and it seems like we are still struggling. 'We used to play against teams, against Ireland, against the North, and expect to win, now you can see how far we are behind. 'We are a football nation and I think the fans and people around football want a change but it seems like people who run the carpentry, do the building, don't want to change and this is the biggest downfall for Bulgarian football.' Ranked No.3 in the world in June 1995, Bulgaria currently languish 71st. 'I'm not surprised they could not win against Ireland, I'm not surprised at all. I mean, our national team, our players, are really struggling to play in the big teams and the big leagues, to create leaders, which was a really big problem for Bulgarian football and this has been going on for the last 20 years. 'And it seems like there's more people who don't want to change then want to change something for good.' ***Stiliyan Petrov will be featuring in a Premier League XI playing against Ayrfield Utd (founded 1977) at Blinden Drive, Coolock, Dublin, today. The game is a fundraiser for Ayrfield Utd's new clubhouse, youth club and sensory room for neurodivergent children and adults within the community, i.e. people with autism, ADHD, Asperger syndrome. And what a team it is! Premier League XI (courtesy LegendsXI/Tony Browne): David James; Stephen Carr, Ian Harte, Jaap Stam, Wes Browne; Karol Poborsky, Jason McAteer, Keith Gillespie; Jermaine Beckford, Yakubu - plus guests.
