Shock moment Celtic star Daizen Maeda is sent off against Atletico as fans insist ‘the game is a nonsense now with VAR’

RED CARDS have seriously hampered Celtic in this year’s Champions League.

And Daizen Maeda became the THIRD Hoops star to be sent off in this year’s group stage.

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VAR intervened after Maeda was booked

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The Celtic man went over the ball and caught Hermoso’s shinCredit: TNT SPORTS

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It was upgraded to a redCredit: PA

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Brendan Rodgers was livid with the decisionCredit: Getty

It was already a tough task for Celtic as they took on Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital.

A tough task that got even tougher when Antoine Griezmann fired the hosts ahead just six minutes in.

But on 21 minutes came some major controversy.

Daizen Maeda caught Mario Hermoso with a high challenge that saw the Atletico defender fall to the ground clutching his leg.

Referee Ivan Kruzliak was quickly on the scene to show Maeda a yellow card.

But things were about to get worse.

VAR studied the footage and called the man in the middle over to the pitchside monitor.

Maeda left his foot in the challenge and it was late, high, over the ball and the leg was straight as he caught Hermoso on the shin – boxes officials are likely to tick when deciding a red card offence.

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On the other side, you could argue there wasn’t too much force in the challenge, another key aspect of a red card decision.

Nonetheless, ref Kruzliak saw enough in the replays to upgrade it to a red card and Maeda was off the park as the Hoops ended up on the receiving end of a 6-0 thumping.

Hoops legend John Hartson blasted the decision on TNT Sports commentary, saying “there’s no malice in it.”

Ex-Celtic winger Aiden McGeady also claimed it was “very, very harsh.”

He added: “His foot is up, but I do not think there is intent for dangerous play.”

Brendan Rodgers was enraged on the touchline too and seemed to feel like the Atletico bench, including boss Diego Simeone, had influenced the decision.

Celtic fans took to social media in their droves to reveal their shock at the decision.

Many felt that the slowed down replays made the challenge look worse than the real time.

One fan said: “The game is a nonsense now. If you decide to look at incidents in freeze frame rather than actual game speed, you have reds a game.”

Another blasted: “That’s one of the most appalling red cards I’ve ever seen given. No way should Maeda be off.”

A third said: “That’s the worst decision I’ve seen in a long time.”

A further comment read: “Slow any tackle down and it’s going to look worse. But Maeda’s given the referee a choice to make and European refs are stricter.”

Other fans, however, felt the referee had got the decision correct by upgrading it to red.

One said: “Looked the right decision to me.”

Another added: “No attempt to play the ball. He was nowhere the ball. Red card correct decision.”

A third commented: “I think the red was correct. High and leading with the studs.”

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Luis Palma started on the opposite wing from Maeda but he too will now miss Celtic’s next Champions League match with Lazio, a game that will have a huge say in the Hoops’ future in Europe beyond Christmas.

Palma was shown a yellow card for dissent after remonstrating with a decision and he too is now suspended for the next game.

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