GREG TAYLOR says that the use of still images in VAR reviews is ‘getting silly’ as the Celtic defender took aim at the decision to send off Daizen Maeda in his side’s heavy defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Maeda was ordered off after the yellow card initially shown to him by on-field referee Ivan Kruzliak was upgraded to a red, after the official was invited to review his challenge on Mario Hermoso on the pitchside monitor.
Taylor says that the slow-motion replays and still images that were shown to the referee, along with the pressure applied to him by the ‘notorious’ Atletico players and staff, must have influenced a call that was to have disastrous consequences for the Scottish champions.
“It’s a really sore night,” Taylor said.
“The red card is a big moment and when VAR looks at a still image, I think it gets a bit silly.
“Their reaction also influences the decision too. They had four of five men around most decisions - they are notorious for that, aren’t they?
“I don’t know what the answer is. It’s above my station in terms of the fact that we are just out there trying to perform.
“The actual tackle, the Atletico player goes in swinging so Daizen has then got to protect himself in terms to go and compete in the challenge.
“Once you go to a still image, it can look as bad as it did, I’m sure. So, I don’t know what the answer is going forward but I don’t see real benefit in what VAR is bringing right now.
“I think it’s difficult once it goes to a still image in that instance. It’s there to try and enhance the game and help the referees, but I think it’s a wee bit false when show it alone like that.”
All that being said, Taylor was still crestfallen at how the 10 men of Celtic capitulated in the Estadio Metropolitano, and was annoyed by the basic errors that again cost them at this level of competition.
“I’d like to think we could have given them a better game with 11 men,” he said.
“We did at Celtic Park against a difficult opponent.
“At the start of the game we’d a decent amount of the ball and decent comfort in the game but once you lose one goal and then a man and it’s difficult from there.
“Listen, they are a really, really top-quality team that created a lot of chances. But the red card is such a big moment.
“After that we could have equipped ourselves better with 10 men. They’re a top team, of course they are, but we should at home we can really compete.
“The first two goals hurt the most because they’re avoidable. They had a shot from the edge of the box after a first phase set play.
“We know it’s going to be a long second half after the second goal goes in. But we still try to get the next goal to see where it could take us.
“The first 15, we limited them to just a couple of chances, but once the third goes in you know it’s an uphill battle from there.
“They are a strong opponent with real quality. Their subs came on and they stuck one right in the top corner. It was just a real hard night.”
