SPANISH referee Jose Maria Sanchez will be in charge of Celtic’s crucial Champions League matchday two encounter against Borussia Dortmund in the Westfalenstadion this evening.
The match official has history with the Hoops following a farcical display which left Neil Lennon furious following a 1-1 Europa League draw with Rennes in France in September 2019.
Striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo was only on the pitch a matter of minutes as a late substitute for Odsonne Edouard before he was dismissed after picking up two quickfire yellow cards.
SEEING RED…referee Jose Maria Sanchez dismisses Celtic striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo as Kristoffer Ajer reacts in the 1-1 draw with Rennes in 2019.
The Ivorian striker was booked only moments after coming off the bench when he clashed with the hosts’ captain Damien da Silva who had to be stretchered off .
Two minutes later, Bayo tried to capitalise on a fumble by Edouard Mendy, but the keeper recovered to snatch the ball off his toe.
Sanchez took no action until the netminder theatrically held his head as he rolled around. That prompted the whistler to flash another yellow at the Hoops hitman and it was a case of now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t as the bewildered forward trudged off the pitch.
CQN‘s match analyst saw it this way in his report: “It didn’t look as though Bayo even touched Mendy, but the match official reached for a second yellow and the frontman was banished in the third minute of stoppage-time.
“French players started falling around as soon as a Celtic opponent went near them and the unfortunate Ryan Christie was booked after a French rival had raced straight into him.
“When the smoke of battle cleared, thankfully, Celtic had earned a point they so richly deserved.”
THE LONG WALK…Vakoun Issouf Bayo heads for the tunnel.
A livid Lennon fumed: “I’m not happy about the sending-off. It looked to me like the referee was waving play on. I don’t know if he looked back at the goalkeeper as he was holding his head.
“There was no contact with his face at all. If anything, it was minimal across his midriff. The referee changed his mind and Bayo can feel very hard done by by that decision.”
Brendan Rodgers’ men are on red alert tonight with card-happy Sanchez in control.
The Spaniard has brandished SIXTY-TWO yellow cards and FOUR reds in his last 10 games.
Buckle up, folks, looks like we’re in for a bumpy ride!
FOOTNOTE: Ryan Christie scored Celtic’s goal via the penalty spot in France. The team was: Forster; Elhamed, Jullien, Ajer, Bolingoli (sub: Hayes 69): Brown, McGregor; Forrest, Christie, Elyounoussi (sub: Ntcham 57); Edouard (sub: Bayo 84).
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Borussia Dortmund v Celtic this evening – only in your champion CQN.
