Celtic release fiery VAR statement after Trusty red card appeal rejected as ref audio revealed

The American defender will now serve a three-match suspension following the flashpoint against Hibernian, with Celticlaunching a strongly worded response after their appeal failed.

Celtic claim that in the VAR audio, referee Matthew MacDermid initially described Auston Trusty’s clash as “nothing” before being advised to review the incident at the pitchside monitor.

The incident occurred during the second half of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat, when Trusty appeared to forcefully brush away Jamie McGrath’s arm while jostling for position at a corner.

VAR official Grant Irvine intervened and recommended an on-field review. After consulting the monitor, MacDermid upgraded the decision and issued Trusty a straight red card for violent conduct.

Manager Martin O’Neill labelled the decision “harsh,” explaining that the referee had originally intended to speak to both players rather than take disciplinary action. Celtic confirmed on Monday that they would appeal the dismissal, but the Scottish FA has rejected the challenge, meaning Trusty will miss the next three matches — starting with the derby clash against Rangers this Sunday.

In a detailed statement, Celtic expressed “huge disappointment” at the outcome.

The club argued that the incident involved “arm to arm” contact as Trusty attempted to free himself before the ball was in play — the type of physical exchange they say occurs routinely in matches across the country.

Celtic further stated that the match audio confirms the referee had a clear view of the incident and initially indicated no further action was required, reportedly saying: “It’s nothing, I’m just going to speak to them.”

They added that O’Neill was told the same by the referee after the match. However, the club criticised VAR for intervening and effectively “re-refereeing” a decision that had already been made on the field.

While awaiting the written judgement, Celtic warned that this episode — along with other recent decisions — highlights what they described as a “serious issue” with the current application of VAR, calling for the system’s deployment to be urgently reviewed.