The controversy around Daizen Maeda’s disallowed goal against Rangers is still rumbling on days after Celtic’s dramatic Scottish Cup victory.
Now another voice has weighed in — and this time it’s former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart questioning whether VAR actually got the call right.
The moment that sparked the debate
During the tense clash at Ibrox, Maeda believed he had given Celtic the lead when he nodded home from close range.
The move began with a Liam Scales flick-on that dropped invitingly toward the back post, where the Japanese winger reacted quickest to guide the ball into the net.
However, celebrations were cut short.
VAR intervened and flagged a tight offside in the build-up, leading to the goal being ruled out — a decision that immediately divided opinion among supporters.
Stewart questions the VAR process
The incident has now been revisited by pundit Michael Stewart, who openly mocked the VAR review process while discussing the moment on Premier Sports.
Stewart said, “Maybe we’ll get a wee etch-a-sketch up? I think I said it in the studio as well.
“When you’re looking at a monitor that’s 10-15, feet away, and it’s not like a phone that you’re able to zoom in on.
“It’s difficult you just look at it. It’s all about trust. You’ve got to trust the lines are in the right place. My gut is that I think Scales is offside.
“But Djiga, who is the deepest Rangers defender, the line’s not drawn off of him, his left shoulder, would appear to be the deepest part of a Rangers defender.
“I think it would probably still be offside. But those lines don’t look right, and again, this just strikes the undermining of trust in the system.
“So these decisions have been made with this technology, not using the technology to get the answer, it’s in spite of the technology that we’re getting these answers. So effectively, it’s a waste of money.”
Why the decision continues to frustrate fans
The offside call sparked debate almost instantly among Celtic supporters watching the replay.
Many pointed to the placement of the VAR lines, questioning whether the correct reference point on the Rangers defender had actually been used.
Interestingly, some fans also admitted the decision may ultimately have been correct — but that isn’t really the main issue.
The bigger concern is that VAR was introduced specifically to remove doubt from major decisions, yet moments like this continue to generate widespread disagreement.
A wider issue for Scottish football?
The Maeda incident has once again put the spotlight on how VAR is being implemented in Scotland.
Even former SFA referees have criticised the system in the past, arguing that the technology often looks amateurish compared with its use in other leagues.
With debate still raging after this latest call, the question naturally returns: is VAR actually improving the game in Scotland?
If controversial moments like this continue to dominate the headlines, the pressure on the system — and those running it — is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.