Ex-Fifa referee: VAR could have intervened on Starfelt as controversial Celtic footage analysed
Hibs should have been awarded a penalty in their 2-1 defeat to Celtic in the League Cup final, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee suggested if VAR was in operation at Hampden Park then John Beaton’s decision may have been overturned.
Hibs appealed for a penalty when Carl Starfelt seemed to bring down Ryan Porteous in the Celtic penalty area as they searched for a late equaliser.
The ball was headed across the box by Paul Hanlon and the ball fell to Kevin Nisbet after Starfelt’s tangle with Porteous.
Nisbet’s header struck the post before Hanlon blasted the rebound high over Joe Hart’s goal.
Celtic hung on to their 2-1 lead to run out winners and secure Ange Postecoglou’s first trophy as manager.
“We see incidents like that regularly and are not given,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“They haven’t got VAR, when VAR comes in players are going to have to take a little bit more care.
“That, in effect, is a penalty kick that wasn’t given.
“In fairness, the referee is in a really good position, again. But I’ve seen them given.”
The BBC reported earlier this month (4 December) the Scottish Premiership aims to introduce VAR after the World Cup next year.
With it taking 12 months to introduce there is not enough time for it to be in place by the beginning of next season.
Instead, the current aim is to have it operational when the league returns on 18 December 2022 after the World Cup finals in Qatar.
In other news, Celtic have been tipped to get ‘multiple deals done’ after a ‘brilliant’ update.