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Bobby Madden declares Celtic star Reo Hatate should have seen red as former whistler says VAR got it wrong

Reo Hatate escapes with booking for challenge on Liam Donnelly
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Reo Hatate has been told he should have seen red as Bobby Madden admits VAR got it wrong at Rugby Park.

The Celtic midfielder misjudged a challenge on Kilmarnock's Liam Donnelly and appeared to catch him high with his late lunge. Nick Walsh handed the incident a yellow card in real time but after a lengthy delay, Don Robertson in the VAR room opted against sending the whistler to the monitor for a second look at the flashpoint. Chris Sutton on commentary duty admitted he felt the player got a let-off while former Rangers and Killie striker Kris Boyd unleashed at the match officials as he vented his fury live on air.

But former whistler Madden has sided with the two high-profile pundits, admitting Hatate should have walked for serious four play due to endangering the safety of his opponent. It was one of three incidents the ex-referee delivered his expert opinion on via his official Instagram account. On Hatate's tackle, he said: "Here you see the Celtic player has misjudged the ball and then lunges in and makes contact with the studs on the knee.

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GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 18: Referee Bobby Madden during a Scottish Cup tie between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on April 18, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)
Bobby Madden

"Undoubtedly, this should be a red card for serious foul play as it endangers the safety of the opponent. The contact is there so a red card should have been recommended VAR."

Two further notable incidents involved Joe Wright an Adam Idah and Kasper Schmeichel and Donnelly. On the first talking point, Madden said: "So consideration for the referee is does the Kilmarnock player raise his arm as a weapon or as a tool. I think you can see he never once looks at the Celtic player using his arm for leverage so the yellow card for reckless is correct."

On Schmeichel and Donnelly, he added: "Final clip here. Yellow card correct. Shows a disregard for his opponent. Strike or attempt to strike was removed from the laws as a red card ten years ago. Yellow card for disregard correct."

On the pitch it was strikes from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn that secured all three points for Celtic to return them to the league summit above Aberdeen going into the November international break. Both sides have now won 10 games and drawn one of their 11 league outings to date as they remain neck and neck in the Premiership standings.