NafisaCeltic have reportedly been forced into issuing an urgent internal response following the explosive fallout surrounding the controversial late penalty awarded against Motherwell F.C. at Fir Park — a decision that has completely dominated the build-up to the Scottish Premiership title decider.
The drama erupted on Wednesday night after referee John Beaton pointed to the spot deep into stoppage time following a VAR review involving Sam Nicholson and Auston Trusty inside the Motherwell box.
With the match tied at 2-2 and Celtic’s title hopes hanging by a thread, VAR official Andrew Dallas instructed Beaton to review the incident at the monitor. After a brief look, the referee awarded the penalty, with Kelechi Iheanacho stepping up to fire home the dramatic winner.
The decision instantly triggered chaos across Scottish football.
Derek McInnes described the award as “disgusting”, while pundits, former referees and supporters flooded social media with outrage over whether the ball had actually struck Nicholson’s hand.
As pressure intensified on both the Scottish FA and match officials, Celtic themselves largely remained silent publicly — until fresh footage began emerging online.
The Hoops later released what many supporters are now calling the clearest angle yet of the incident, filmed directly from behind the goal. The footage appears to show the ball making contact with Nicholson’s raised arm before spinning away during the aerial challenge.
That angle quickly spread across social media and immediately divided opinion again.
Celtic sources insist the footage backs up the original decision from VAR and supports the interpretation that Nicholson’s arm was in an unnatural position during the duel.
The release of the angle is now being viewed by many as Celtic’s indirect response to the mounting accusations and outrage aimed at the club, the officials and the league itself over the last 48 hours.
Privately, there is believed to be frustration inside Parkhead over the narrative surrounding the incident, particularly after several pundits and rival figures suggested the decision had unfairly favoured Celtic in the title race.
The Scottish FA also released a lengthy statement condemning the abuse directed at officials after personal details relating to Beaton and his family were leaked online following the match.
Celtic’s stance, however, appears clear — they believe the footage validates the handball call and explains why VAR advised Beaton to overturn his original decision.
Despite that, debate across Scotland continues to rage ahead of Saturday’s massive title showdown against Heart of Midlothian F.C. at Celtic Park.
With just one point separating the two sides, the controversy surrounding Fir Park has only added even more tension to what was already shaping up to be one of the most dramatic Premiership finales in years.
Nafisa
