Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers found out his punishment for comments relating to VAR operative John Beaton’s involvement in our 2-0 defeat to Heart of Midlothian earlier this month.
Hyunjun Yang’s red card and Tomoki Iwata’s penalisation for a handball have come under the microscope, with Beaton playing a key role in prompting Don Robertson to visit the monitor before changing his mind on both calls.
In the aftermath of a chaotic day in the capital, Rodgers blasted the officiating on display at Tynecastle, stating: “It’s incompetence. And I think the first one is a great example of the game being refereed outside of the pitch.
Commotion ensued in the media, and the Scottish Football Association charged the Irishman for his comments. Celtic hired legal expert Nick De Marco to fight his corner in the dock earlier today.
Now, we have found out that Rodgers has been handed a one-match ban with another fixture suspended, meaning he will be in the stands for our trip to Livingston before being free to return to the dugout at Ibrox next Sunday, where we take on Rangers in a powderkeg Glasgow Derby at Ibrox.
How Celtic feel about the outcome for Brendan Rodgers
In a statement on today’s hearing, Celtic have indicated that they are ‘disappointed’ but will accept the verdict found today by the panel.
Per the official club website, a spokesperson said: “Clearly, we are disappointed with the outcome of today’s hearing, although we will accept the panel’s decision.
“The Manager appeared at the hearing today, and his defence was presented robustly and thoroughly.
“Like many other clubs, we will continue to press for the highest standards in relation to the VAR process in Scottish football.”
Frustratingly, Rodgers won’t be able to lead from the touchline this weekend; however, there is also a palpable sense of relief that he will be permitted to enter his technical area at Ibrox.
Hopefully, that can now bring the curtain down on the matter as Celtic prepare for a mammoth few weeks in the Scottish Premiership title race.
