Aiden McGeady has raised concerns over the referee’s decision-making during the Premier Sports Cup final between Rangers and Celtic, particularly focusing on Rangers’ goalkeeper Jack Butland. The showdown at Hampden Park was not without controversy, with a key moment towards the end of regular time sparking debate among fans and pundits alike.
The incident in question involved Liam Scales bringing down Vaclav Cerny on the edge of the box, which led to a free-kick being awarded to Rangers by referee John Beaton. Despite the decision being upheld with the assistance of VAR, replays suggested that Cerny had his foot on the line of the box, indicating that a penalty should have been given to Celtic instead.
Following the match, Rangers’ manager Philippe Clement expressed his frustration over the outcome, especially as his side ended up losing to Celtic in a dramatic penalty shootout. However, McGeady, a former Celtic player, offered a different perspective, focusing on an incident involving Butland during extra time.
As Butland rushed out to collect a long ball forward, he appeared to position himself just outside the penalty area before making the save. McGeady highlighted this moment as another contentious decision, drawing a parallel to the earlier penalty controversy. He suggested that Butland’s actions were tight and could have been scrutinized by the VAR team for a possible foul.
If the VAR officials had intervened, Beaton would have been faced with a significant decision regarding Butland’s potential misconduct. According to the rules set by IFAB, a goalkeeper who denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity can receive a red card. However, in cases where the goalkeeper stops a promising attack, they are more likely to be shown a yellow card instead. With Daizen Maeda possibly on the verge of a clear goal-scoring opportunity, the outcome of the match could have taken a different turn if Butland had been penalized accordingly.
