Celtic pundits in uproar over Daizen Maeda red card as scunnered Aiden McGeady wonders 'what the point?'

Sympathy isn't much use to Celtic after defeat against Atletico Madrid as they were left counting the cost of Maeda dismissal.

A singular topic dominated the pundit discussion after Celtic’s latest Champions League pasting.

Brendan Rodgers’ men knew they needed to take something against Atletico Madrid in the Metropolitano to still stand a slim chance of making it out of Group E. A defeat coupled with Feyenoord beating Lazio would close that avenue off for them and while the Italians did their part, Celtic’s hopes were extinguished when Daizen Maeda was sent off.

The Japanese was initially booked for his challenge on Mario Hermoso. But Ivan Kruzliak was asked to have a second look by VAR, not to mention the Atleti players, who were demanding a harsher punishment. And they got their wish after the Slovak ref was shown a replay and still images, which admittedly made Maeda’s tackle look worse than it was in real time.

The end result was the Hoops down to ten men and Brendan Rodgers left fuming. He wasn't the only one. Former Celtic players and managers analysing the game on TV and radio were less than impressed, while even the neutral Owen Hargreaves believed Maeda was hard done by.

Aiden McGeady

"If that's what you're getting sent off today, what's the point in even making a challenge? I disagree with it. I don't think it was a red card. Up until that point, I was encouraged by how Celtic were playing."

Owen Hargreaves

"I think it's harsh. He's worked incredibly hard, he's three vs one on his own, he's chasing the ball. He puts in such a shift, the referee gives him a yellow. I think he has got it spot on there. It's not with two feet, he's not got both feet off the ground, he's trying to play the ball and he is just a little bit late. He's not that type of player and when you see the stills, obviously, it looks a little bit different but not a big fan of the pictures referees see. It's had a huge impact on the game."

Martin O'Neill

"I think it is exceptionally harsh. The wider picture of things, I don't know where we are going with these things. They have had a still there, and the referee is going over to look at it, still. Instead of kicking off the game. It's incredibly harsh. You're talking about Champions League football and you find yourself a goal down and a man down in that length of time. It's a long way back from that. But I thought it was exceptionally harsh and I'm taking my bias out of this."