PAUL MERSON STILL CAN’T BELIEVE CELTIC WENT FREE AFTER CONTROVERSIAL INCIDENT BLASTS SPFL AND CALLS ON UEFA TO ACT
It’s now been 12 days since the fiery Scottish League Cup semi final between Celtic and Rangers but former Premier League star and pundit Paul Merson remains absolutely baffled that Celtic escaped punishment after a highly controversial incident during the match.
The fixture which saw Celtic edge Rangers 3 : 1 after extra time has been overshadowed not just by the final score but by an incident late in the game that many believe should have seen Celtic penalised. Yet despite widespread debate and growing calls for action the Scottish Professional Football League SPFL have yet to intervene leaving Merson furious and publicly demanding UEFA step in.
Despite the result the debate around the refereeing decision has refused to die down.
The Scottish Football Association’s Key Match Incident panel reviewed a controversial challenge in the League Cup semi-final between Rangers and Celtic. The panel concluded that Celtic defender Auston Trusty should have been sent off for a foul on Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland.
By a 2-1 majority, the panel found the referee’s decision to not issue a red card was incorrect, and that VAR should have intervened. Rangers expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating, arguing the missed red card impacted the match. The incident intensified calls for improved refereeing and VAR usage in Scottish football.
Merson’s Explosive Reaction Ten Days On
Ten days after the drama unfolded Paul Merson remains outspoken about what he sees as a glaring failure by Scottish football authorities.
“I still can’t get my head around it,” Merson told football fans on his podcast earlier this week. “I’ve watched the footage again and again and to me it’s clear Celtic got away with a blatant foul. No penalty was given no punishment nothing. It’s unbelievable that the SPFL have done absolutely nothing about it.”
He continued “This isn’t just about one bad call. It’s about consistency and integrity. The SPFL need to get a grip and stop letting these things slide especially in games as massive as Celtic versus Rangers. If they won’t sort it out then UEFA have to step in and make sure justice is done.”
Fans and Experts React
Merson’s comments have reignited fierce debate across Scottish football communities. Rangers fans largely agree with Merson feeling aggrieved that decisions have repeatedly gone against their club in key moments. Many have taken to social media using hashtags calling for greater referee accountability and video assistant referee VAR implementation in Scottish competitions.
On the other hand Celtic supporters have defended their team and the referees arguing that football is a game of fine margins and that the officials acted within their remit. Some Celtic fans have accused Rangers of “crying foul” too easily highlighting other controversial decisions that have gone their way in the past.
The SPFL Under Pressure
The Scottish Professional Football League is under increasing pressure to review its refereeing standards and disciplinary procedures especially following high profile clashes like the Old Firm derby. Calls for expanded use of VAR in domestic cups and leagues have grown louder as fans demand more transparency and fairness in officiating.
However the SPFL has been cautious about introducing such technology citing cost and logistical challenges.
Paul Merson’s call for UEFA intervention brings a new dimension to the ongoing saga. Traditionally UEFA has allowed domestic leagues to handle their own disciplinary issues but retains the right to oversee competitions under its jurisdiction such as the League Cup in Scotland which sometimes falls under wider European football regulations.
Should UEFA choose to investigate or sanction following Merson’s public plea it would mark a significant escalation and could set a precedent for increased oversight in Scottish football.
The Celtic Rangers rivalry has always been intense and incidents like these only add fuel to the fire. For Rangers the sense of injustice lingers and the calls for fairer treatment are louder than ever. For Celtic the victory stands but the shadow of controversy remains.
Both clubs now turn their focus to upcoming fixtures but the debate over refereeing fairness and disciplinary action looks set to dominate discussions for some time yet.
As Paul Merson pointedly said “Football is meant to be a fair game. When it’s not it loses something special. The SPFL need to fix this or UEFA must.”
Match Recap:
Celtic 3 (J Kenny 25’ C McGregor 93’ C Osmand 109’)
Rangers 1 (J Tavernier 81’ pen)
