Ex-FIFA referee has explained why Aberdeen star Toyosi Olusanya escaped a red card after appearing to stamp on Celtic defender Kieran Tierney’s foot in the Pittodrie win.
Celtic’s win at Aberdeen did have some VAR controversy over Benjamin Nygren’s winner, but did the video referee miss a blatant red card after this stamp on Tierney?
67 Hail Hail asked ex-FIFA referee Mark Clattenburg about the challenge and he shared what actually saves the Aberdeen star from seeing red against Celtic.
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Aberdeen’s Toyosi Olusanya ‘very lucky’ not to see red vs Celtic
Do you agree with Mark Clattenburg?
The rule that saved Toyosi Olusanya from Celtic red card
The footage looks pretty damning, and Celtic fans would have expected Olusanya to be sent off, but Clattenburg shares what was the Aberdeen man’s saving grace.
Clattenburg exclusively told 67 Hail Hail, “Toyosi Olusanya’s challenge on Kieran Tierney was very poor and he was lucky that Olusanya’s foot landed on his opponent’s foot and not on the leg.
“When a challenge is foot on foot, the referees are recommended to give a yellow card for a reckless challenge.
“Olusanya deliberately makes a movement away from the ball with his foot, and is very lucky where his foot landed as it could easily have been higher on the leg and a red card would have been issued.”
The IFAB rule for serious foul play after Tierney Celtic row
IFAB are pretty clear in their rules about serious foul play, and Olusanya can count himself lucky VAR and the match officials didn’t take into account the full breakdown of the law.
IFAB law on violent conduct states, “Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.”
The Aberdeen forward is very lucky indeed.
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