Derek McInnes furious with Celtic penalty decision after late Motherwell winner

Add as preferred source on Google

It’s going to go to the last day of the season between Celtic and Hearts.

In a season already defined by chaos, drama, and endless surprises, Scottish football delivered its most breathtaking moment yet with Celtic’s dramatic, last-gasp victory over Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday night.

As that drama was unfolding, Derek McInnes had just watched his Hearts side comfortably beat Falkirk 3-0, and they thought they had one hand on the title, before Celtic were awarded a penalty for a handball from a Motherwell player.

It’s fair to say that McInnes, before doing his interview with Sky Sports, made sure to have a look at that penalty call, and he labelled it a ‘disgusting’ decision from the officials.

“Having seen it again, I think it’s disgusting,” said McInnes. “I think it is. I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. But we are up against it. We are up against everybody, and we will be ready for Saturday.

“I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. There were two more shouts for a penalty kick in our game against Motherwell. If I were Motherwell, I would be really disappointed in that, having seen it again.”

• READ MORE: Aiden McGeady shares Shaun Maloney director of football whispers from inside Celtic

Hearts boss Derek McInnes says Celtic were ‘given a penalty’ against Motherwell

The on-field referee was John Beaton for Celtic’s win against Motherwell, with Andrew Dallas, the man in charge of VAR.

At first, Beaton didn’t award anything, but he was advised by his colleagues to check the incident via his monitor, and that’s when he overturned his on-field call.

As all of that drama was playing out, the Hearts game had already finished, though the players remained out on the pitch to enjoy a lap of honour with their supporters following their final match of the season.

McInnes shared that all his players wanted to know was the score from the Celtic game, and when he heard that a penalty call had gone to VAR, he just knew what was about to happen.

Luke Shanley: “But, given what happened right at the end there (at Fir Park), what was the mood going back into the dressing room?”

McInnes: “Some of the players are still coming in now. I think, from our point of view, we weren’t really sure what was happening.

“It’s the last home game of the season. We wanted to go around and do the lap of honour. But everybody was just interested in the score.

“So, when you heard that Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty, and it was going to VAR, and they were checking it. You just assume what’s happening is that they get the penalty.

“Having seen it again, I think it’s disgusting. I think it is. I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. But we are up against it. We are up against everybody, and we will be ready for Saturday.

“I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. There were two more shouts for a penalty kick from our game against Motherwell. If I were Motherwell, I am really disappointed in that, having seen it again. I have seen it, before I came out to speak to you, and I think it’s so poor that they have been given that penalty.

“It looks as if they have been given it. I think they have been very fortunate in that sense. We have to realise we are up against everything. We have to deal with the game on Saturday.”