Kelechi Iheanacho’s disallowed goal has led to a significant backlash, with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers expressing his frustration over the decision and indicating that the club has sought clarification from UEFA.
“I can’t comprehend why the goal wasn’t awarded; it wasn’t even close to being a handball,” he said.
“We are still awaiting an explanation for that. It certainly acted as a turning point for Braga to win the match.”
Rodgers questioned why the referee wasn’t asked to review the incident, stating, “if you watch it once or twice, and I assume the VAR officials have seen it more than that, there’s no way it hit his arm.”
Iheanacho, who previously played for Leicester City, made headlines following his team’s 2-0 UEFA Europa League defeat to Braga.
The former Manchester City player aimed to maintain his good form at Celtic Park, but his goal was incorrectly disallowed.
After collecting a loose ball, Iheanacho skillfully lifted it over a defender and scored past Braga’s Lukas Hornicek.
However, German referee Tobias Stieler ruled the goal out, claiming the ball had touched Iheanacho’s arm during the build up.
Following the match, Iheanacho expressed his anger, stating that his team was denied a chance to equalize when they were only one goal down.
“That was a terrible decision. The ball didn’t hit my hand; it hit my face. It was a dreadful call that changed the game. We could have gotten back into it. We’re disappointed.
“The referee knows it wasn’t a handball, and it altered the course of the match. I hope they can rectify this,” he said.
Iheanacho wasn’t alone in his frustration. Former Chelsea and England striker Sutton described the decision in his Daily Record column as “shocking.”
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He remarked, “the disallowed goal was unbelievable. It might be the worst VAR decision I’ve ever witnessed, and Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal should have counted.”
Sutton added that “would it have changed the game? Possibly. Celtic was performing well at that point, and equalizing could have shifted the momentum, potentially leading to a win. Regardless, there’s a significant lack of creativity.
“Sebastian Tounekti has shown promise and is willing to take on defenders, but the link-up with the rest of the team will take time. Iheanacho has come in and done reasonably well, but he’s still not fully fit,” the 52-year-old noted.
Iheanacho managed to break free and score, only for VAR to later disallow the goal for handball during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 match between Celtic FC and SC Braga at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers also expressed his anger over the decision to disallow Iheanacho’s goal, revealing that the club has requested clarification from UEFA.
