Former referee Bobby Madden believes Mika Baur deserved only a yellow card for his controversial challenge on Ryan Naderi during Celtic’s 3-0 defeat at Ibrox.
Baur escaped without punishment after catching the Rangers striker high on the shin with his studs showing. Remarkably, referee Nick Walsh awarded the free-kick to Celtic.
The decision divided opinion, with former SFA referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy adamant that the Hoops player should have been dismissed.
Baur could certainly consider himself fortunate. It was a poor challenge which had the potential to cause Naderi a serious injury, and Celtic could have had few complaints if Walsh had produced a red card.
That would not have excused the Hoops’ performance. Celtic were comprehensively beaten, outthought, outfought and outclassed by a Derek McInnes side that had been struggling before the derby.
Walsh made several questionable decisions, but refereeing cannot be used to explain Celtic’s humiliation.
Madden has now offered a different interpretation of the Baur incident. Speaking on his So Near, Yet So VAR podcast, the former whistler argued that the challenge met the threshold for a booking rather than a dismissal.
He said: “The first thing to be upset about is that the free-kick went to Celtic.
“Then, I think you can see that Naderi loses his balance, slips a little, the ball goes behind his leg and then Baur comes in and makes the challenge.
“You are saying, yes, we have seen red-card challenges for contact that high up the leg, but we always need to consider the criteria for serious foul play: speed, intensity, force, malice and endangering the safety of an opponent.
“If you look at this incident in its entirety, it doesn’t endanger an opponent. There is no malice. Yes, the contact is on the shin, but it’s not a red-card offence.
“I believe it’s a yellow card for being reckless and showing a disregard for the opponent, and the free-kick obviously should have gone to Rangers. But it’s not a red-card offence.”
Madden and the two former referees agree that Walsh awarded the free-kick to the wrong team. Where they differ is over the colour of the card Baur should have received.
Roache and Conroy viewed the height and nature of the contact as worthy of a dismissal. Madden instead believes Naderi slipping reduced the speed, force and danger involved.
Whatever the correct sanction, Celtic were fortunate that Walsh’s mistake did not leave them playing the closing stages with ten men.
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