The fallout has continued from Celtic’s League Cup semi-final win over Rangers on Sunday.
From Celtic’s part, they are still enjoying that extra-time win, but the same can’t be said for Rangers, who do what they do best, and that’s release statements after losing to the champions of Scotland at Hampden.
One of the calls made during that game was to award Rangers a second-half penalty after Anthony Ralston was punished for handball when throwing himself at the ball.
What’s interesting here is that, for Liverpool’s Champions League tie against Real Madrid on Tuesday night at Anfield, the Spanish side were involved in a handball call of their own, and it was compared to Celtic’s.
The referee overturns a VAR call during Liverpool FC v Real Madrid C.F. in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Aurelien Tchouameni’s handball overturned for Real Madrid against Liverpool
In the first half, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni was punished for handball when on the edge of Liverpool’s area.
A free-kick was awarded, with suggestions that it might even be a penalty, and then, the on-field referee was told to look at his monitor to review the decision.
Rather than awarding a free-kick or a spot-kick, the call was overturned altogether.
It was deemed by on-field referee Istvan Kovacs that, as Dominik Szoboszlai unleashed his shot, and Tchouameni threw himself at the ball, his arm was close to his body, with a ‘horizontal barrier.’
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Celtic told of ‘inconsistency’ after Anthony Ralston was punished against Rangers
When that Tchouameni clip started doing the rounds on social media, it was picked up by Scottish pundit Tam McManus.
The former Hibernian player was sure to compare it to that Ralston call at Hampden from the weekend, and the ‘inconsistency’ surrounding it all.
‘Perfect example of the inconsistency of the handball rule,’ stated McManus. ‘Ralston Pen on Sunday is no different to this.
‘Rule needs changed ASAP in the Summer, or you’re going to get similar incidents given and not given on a weekly basis, depending on the interpretation of the officials!’