Celtic’s red card against Hearts was a hot topic of contention.
In a close game, the decision – a correction of Steven McLean’s call on the field – was decisive in the closing stages, being slated by Martin O’Neill after the game.
Auston Trusty’s pull on Pierre Landry Kabore was judged to be a clear denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, to an extent where McLean’s on-field decision was deemed a clear and obvious error.
After the game, O’Neill said that it was “no more a red card than a blue card”, bemoaning VAR for “re-refereeing the game.”
It was Celtic’s first red card since the 2023-24 season; ironically that one was also at Tynecastle.
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Ex-SFA referee Des Roache on Auston Trusty’s Celtic red card
Celtic lodged an official appeal against the decision on Monday, backing up O’Neill’s post-match comments.
In the game itself, the Hoops were 2-1 up at the time, but Claudio Braga equalised for the home side.
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And ex-SFA referee Des Roache was clear in his view on the intervention, speaking to the Daily Record.
He said: “My view is it shouldn’t have been a red card, it’s a yellow card.
“When you’re looking at denial of a goalscoring opportunity, you’ve got to look at the criteria that is set. The first one is distance to goal. This was 25-30 yards out.
“Where is his general direction of play? He’s going away from goal, he’s not going towards goal. “What is the likelihood of control? He’s played the ball 10-12 yards ahead of him.
“You also have to consider the number of defenders and the position of them.
“I think McLean called it correct at the time. I’ve just seen a comment about how it’s a last man red card – there’s no such thing. It’s about denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
“The bit I take my belief from is the word ‘obvious’. Is it an obvious goalscoring opportunity. It’s not obvious.
“He may have a chance, he may not. It’s not obvious. What I think is entirely wrong with it is John Beaton has decided to get involved and re-referee that situation, and overturn Steven McLean.
“It’s a subjective opinion. Steven’s seen it and decided it’s a yellow card, which I’m fine with, and then John Beaton’s got involved to overturn it.
“That’s not what VAR is there for. It’s there for clear and obvious errors – that isn’t obvious. It isn’t an obvious opportunity, and it isn’t an obvious error.
“The fact we’re still talking about it 24 hours later shows you it’s not clear. John Beaton had no reason to get involved with that decision.”
Thoughts on Celtic’s decision to appeal Auston Trusty’s red card?
Celtic’s experiences with VAR this season
By this point, there is no club that hasn’t been stung by a VAR error, but Celtic have had a fair few blows this season.
In the 2-1 win over Hibs at Easter Road, the game was completely changed by a penalty given for an innocuous handball by Liam Scales… a controversial call to say the least.
On the European stage, Kelechi Iheanacho’s disallowed goal against Braga was easily one of the most baffling interventions in Europe this season.
But the fact that this one was in a decisive title six-pointer only amplifies Celtic’s lucklessness.
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