“That happens in every single corner kick, free kick in the game,” Calmac | OneFootball

Callum McGregor has criticised the decision to dismiss Auston Trusty after VAR intervention, warning the game risks being ruined if players are regularly shown red cards for similar incidents…

22.02.2026 Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership. Referee Matthew MacDermid conveys his VAR decision on Auston Trusty red card. Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO.

The Celtic centre-back was sent off during Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Hibs after VAR caught him striking out at Jamie McGrath during a tussle at a corner.

The club have since lodged an appeal in a bid to have the suspension overturned, which would allow Trusty to feature in this weekend’s Glasgow Derby clash at Ibrox.

While McGregor accepted his team-mate took a risk with his reaction, the captain admitted he was taken aback by the severity of the punishment at a time when the match was finely balanced at 1-1.

Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, 22 February 2026 Kai Andrews shot beats Callum McGregor and Kasper Schmeichel to provide Hibs with a late winner at Celtic Park. Photo Cameron Allan IMAGO/Sportpix

Speaking via Daily Record, McGregor said: “Yeah, of course, but it’s an emotional game, it’s an emotional state, there’s a lot at stake. That’s not me in any way putting the blame on Auston at all, I actually think it’s the other way.

“I think this happens every single free kick, corner kick, in every single game of football that we watch. To send him off for that, we may as well all go up the road and stop playing football if that’s going to be a red card every single week.

“The one thing I will say is we have to make the game easier for ourselves because you can’t keep chasing the game. Because then you’re relying on miracles at the end of games all the time. But to win a title you need a lot of things to fall for, you need good decisions.

“Obviously the one on Sunday, in my opinion, is a bad decision. Auston probably gives them the chance to send them off, but I think if we’re all honest, that happens in every single corner kick, free kick in the game. It has been for the last 150 years or whatever it is So I think that’s a poor one, but it’s one of them that if you keep XI men on the pitch, you’ll probably win the game.”

Conor Spence

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