This afternoon at Ibrox, the Scottish Premiership saw yet another contentious moment when The Rangers were given a penalty against Dundee as a result of a VAR call that many are at best questioning.
This incident feeds into the increasingly prevalent storyline surrounding Rangers games, when it seems like every push or tug in the box is investigated and frequently results in a penalty for the team.
Why Is Celtic Concerned About This?
Let’s fast-forward to December 30th, a day that is celebrated by all Celtic supporters worldwide as the derby day versus the Ibrox club. Should the trend of penalties persist, Celtic may find themselves in a tight spot. The Rangers seem to be “sleepwalking” into a situation where they will try to take advantage of this tendency, and any ruling that goes in their favor will be excused under the pretense of consistency. The penalty that was given at Ibrox today may have served as a message to Celtic that the officials may be too quick to call a foul.
Every choice matters in a season where the title battle might be very close. The pattern seen in The Rangers games raises questions not only about the reliability of the officials but also about the competition’s integrity. We might as well be ready for a penalty fest if the same rule were enforced universally, as Saturday’s game demonstrated. Five penalties for each team per game, anyone?
In this particular scenario, The Rangers’ seemingly magical ability to win penalties is almost commendable. Some may argue that they are extraordinarily “lucky,” but there might be more involved than pure chance. It is quite amazing—or, depending on your perspective, an art form—how they are able to find themselves on the correct side of VAR judgments, particularly when it comes to penalty areas.
It’s critical for Celtic to stay alert and adjust to the changing refereeing scene in Scottish football as the match on December 30th draws near. They would not want to be unprepared for a “phantom penalty,” which is an unlikely but possible situation.
It is yet unclear if the referees will change course and reevaluate their methods, or if the pattern of questionable penalties will continue. We’ll find out in due course.
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