Gary Lineker calls Celtic penalty ‘worst VAR decision ever’ after Hearts fury | Football | Sport
Gary Lineker weighed into the debate about Celtic‘s controversial match-winning penalty – labelling it ‘the worst VAR decision I’ve seen’ after the Hoops benefitted from some enormous fortune at Motherwell. A title race evening for the ages concluded in extraordinary drama as Hearts – 3-0 up against Falkirk while the Hoops laboured towards a 2-2 draw with Motherwell – believed they had taken a monumental stride towards a first title since 1960.
Yet the Tynecastle celebrations gave way to devastated expressions when news filtered through from Fir Park that Celtic had won, and converted, a 97th-minute penalty. It came when Auston Trusty challenged Sam Nicholson in the air inside the Motherwell box. Nothing was awarded on the pitch by referee John Beaton, but after being summoned to the monitor by Andrew Dallas for a VAR review, he determined that the ball had struck Nicholson’s hand following a flick-on from Trusty.
Replays show that the contact was not clear and obvious, with suggestions Nicholson headed the ball clear rather than handled it.
Kelechi Iheanacho stepped forward to dispatch the spot-kick and triggered a pitch invasion from the away end when he slotted it home with the final kick of the match.
The result means Celtic now simply require victory against Hearts at Parkhead on Sunday – had they drawn, a 3-0 win would have been necessary.
Beaton’s ruling, reached following a brief pitchside review, ignited fury from multiple quarters. Lineker waded into the controversy, tweeting: “This might be the worst VAR decision I’ve seen (and there’s a lot of competition). Extraordinary given the significance.”
Former Sky Sports Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling said on X: “Seriously that is never a handball at Fir Park. The boy headed it 20 yards. The ref takes one look after VAR calls him over. Embarrassing for Scottish football.”
Hearts hero Ryan Stevenson fumed on the BBC: “It’s a disgrace. VAR took six minutes in the recent West Ham v Arsenal game because everyone understood how big a decision it was. John Beaton was at the monitor for what, 20 seconds?”
While Hearts manager Derek McInnes similarly said: “I think it’s disgusting. I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. I think it’s so poor that they’ve been given that penalty.”
Meanwhile, former Celtic defender and coach Darren O’Dea remarked: “Looking at the footage we’ve just watched, it’s made huge contact with Sam Nicholson’s head because of the trajectory the ball takes. I don’t know how you can conclusively say that is handball.”
Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou reacted: “I think it’s one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in my career in football, taking everything into consideration.
“I thought I’d seen it all this season but apparently we haven’t. I don’t know if we have a problem but if we keep making calls as we have done too many times we will end up being ridiculed as a football nation.
“I don’t think we deserve that as in so many ways this country has taken steps in the right direction this season. It’s a shame. Look, even from watching it from distance I was shocked he even got called to the monitor.
“You could see he connects with his head. The only reason why you can maybe find a picture where it hits his finger is because his up there, he connects with Trusty and his arm gets pushed in the direction he’s heading the ball.
“Even if he finds a connection it’s never a penalty because the arm gets pushed in that direction. No matter what it was a bad call. We more than deserved the result on the scoreboard until the unreal decision at the end.”
