Celtic’s Europa League night ended in frustration, and plenty of the anger is pointed at the man in the middle. Referee Georgi Kabakov rejected penalty appeals, while Camilo Duran was booked for protesting. The Hoops went down 1-2 at home, and the debate since has been less about tactics and more about the whistle. (scotsman)
The match turned on two decisions. Callum Osmand was pushed in the back running into the box, but contact that continued into the area meant the claim was waved away. The second was an unawarded foul on Duran that led to Celta’s equaliser. The same report called the referee an indulgent pedant who gave Celtic a throw-in over a Celta player’s slow restart. (celticquicknews)
Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov joined the criticism. He launched a scathing attack on Kabakov over the penalty decision and questioned the appointment itself. (celticnewsnow)
The appointment is where the history comes in. Kabakov was suspended indefinitely by the Bulgarian FA’s referee commission last year for unsatisfactory VAR performance in a league match. Yet UEFA kept appointing him to European games, and he is back in action in Bulgaria too. One report noted that UEFA even gave him Europa League games during his domestic suspension. (Bulgaria Among EU Countries Where Most Retirees Work Because They Can’t Afford to Stop +2)
That is the real question for Celtic fans. No new sanction has been reported, and until UEFA says otherwise, Kabakov remains eligible for appointments. Supporters will want answers on how performance is judged at the top level. For now, Celtic are left with a defeat, a list of what-ifs, and a referee who has once again become the story.
