NINE-MAN Celtic were sent crashing out of Europe last night as Malky Mackay and John Hughes were red-carded in a 2-0 defeat by Hamburg in the Volkspark Stadium.

Manager Tommy Burns had a furious on-the-pitch clash with Belarus referee Viktor Schuk as the teams disappeared to the dressing room after a stormy first half of this UEFA Cup first round, second leg tie.

Mackay and Hughes were both dismissed chalking up two cautions and they were joined in the dressing room later on by Hamburg's Markus Schupp, who was sent off in the 71st minute for his second bookable offence.

Celtic's plans came unstuck in the 13th minute when Jorge Cadete was stretchered off after a vicious foul by Hamburg defender Stephane Henchoz.

Cadete was replaced by substitute Pierre Van Hooydonk but the problems simply got worse for Celtic in the 21st minute when Mackay, who had been booked after only five minutes for bringing down Markus Schopp was then given his second caution for a foolish push on Sven Kmetsch.

Two minutes later, Baron put Celtic further behind on aggregate with the game's opening goal when he fastened on to a neat pass from Markus Schupp and confidently beat goalkeeper Gordon Marshall with a low shot.

Three minutes later, Hughes received his first booking for a foul on Breitenreiter and in the 41st minute he became Celtic's second sending off, being shown the red card for a foul on Kmetsch, his second booking.

Schupp was booked for a foul on Van Hooydonk just seconds after the interval and in the 49th minute Breitenreiter wrapped up the game with Hamburg's second of the night, shooting home from six yards after Hollerbach had picked him out at the back post.