John Beaton has been appointed to referee next weekend’s League Cup final between Celtic and Rangers, marking his second consecutive Glasgow Derby assignment this season.
The referee previously took charge of Celtic’s 3-0 win over Rangers at Celtic Park in September—a match notable for its intensity but relatively free of major controversy.
While derby clashes are notorious for their high stakes and fiery exchanges, Beaton managed the September encounter with a measured approach, letting the game flow while maintaining control.
Beaton issued eight yellow cards to players and one to Rangers staff member Alex Rae, who reacted furiously to a touchline altercation between Alistair Johnston and Dujon Sterling Diomande. The pair were booked following a brief scuffle that saw both players end up on the ground near the sideline.
While some felt the yellow cards were unnecessary and that a verbal warning would have sufficed, the equal punishment was deemed fair given both players’ involvement in the incident.
The most contentious moment came when Kyogo Furuhashi’s goal was ruled out by VAR for offside.
Callum McGregor threaded a ball through to Nicolas Kuhn, who was judged to be marginally offside before squaring it to Kyogo for the finish.
Replays showed a tight call, with many Celtic fans convinced Kuhn was onside despite VAR’s ruling.
While the decision wasn’t Beaton’s to make, as VAR overruled the on-field goal, it became a focal point of post-match discussion. The offside lines drawn by VAR left little room for error, but questions lingered over the margins.
In the second half, James Forrest found himself at the centre of a potential penalty controversy.
Forrest’s strike was blocked by John Souttar, whose arms were by his side. Moments later, Forrest went down after a challenge in the box.
Beaton waved play on, and VAR backed his call, ruling no handball or foul. This was widely viewed as the correct decision, with Souttar’s defending deemed clean.
Overall, Beaton handled the match well, avoiding any major flashpoints or game-changing errors apart from the contentious VAR offside call, which was beyond his control.
