This elbow in the face Daizen Maeda received 30 seconds before Bayern scored was ignored by the referee and there was no VAR intervention after the goal….
Daizen Maeda elbowed in the face, head knock? Free kick? Red Card review? VAR check? Nothing…
Gabriel Clarke asked Callum McGregor about the foul on Adam Idah before Bayern Munich equalised last night in the Allianz Arena, but it was actually Daizen Maeda who was fouled by Dayo Upamecano.
The big French defender was wary of Maeda all night long and it’s one of the reasons we got so much joy, which arguably helped lead to the opening goal from Nicolas Kühn.
Referee Benoit Bastien, FC Bayern Munich Celtic Glasgow UEFA Champions League 18 02 2025 Allianz Arena PHOTO Mladen Lackovic LakoPress
Daizen terrifies defenders
The uncertainty Daizen caused that Bayern defence over the two legs was remarkable, and you could just tell none of them really wanted the space to open up and end up in a foot race with the Japanese international. That pressing from the front was sensational and on a night such as this, it’s exactly what Celtic and Brendan Rodgers needed.
He’s such a wonderful athlete Daizen, and the fact that the Munich side showed him so much respect speaks volumes. However, there was a foul on Daizen in the lead up to Bayern’s pattern of play which eventually led to their equalising goal. Upamecano rather naughtily raised his arm and hit Maeda on the face as he went to run past him and close the space down.
It looked like a foul. It was a clear head knock
Alphonso Davies celebrates scoring his team’s goal under pressure from Cameron Carter-Vickers during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
It looked like a foul. It was a clear head knock yet referee Benoit Bastien was happy to let play go on. There is an argument that it should have been a red card. Daizen Maeda has twice been sent off for much less in Champions League matches. Even after the referee’s error in not awarding the foul or at least stopping play for a head-knock, VAR could have intervened when checking the goal. They choose not to.
The penalty that never was in the first leg at Celtic Park then the ignored foul and head knock last night…draw your own conclusions.
Take a look at this…
That’s a foul on Maeda all day long!!!! pic.twitter.com/AKV4UPMvmP
— SweetIrishGhirl (@Newrygal1) February 18, 2025
That’s a foul on Maeda all day long!!!! pic.twitter.com/AKV4UPMvmP
— SweetIrishGhirl (@Newrygal1) February 18, 2025
Paul Gillespie
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