In a contentious moment during the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden, Celtic were denied a penalty when the ball struck Ben Davies’ arm in the Rangers box. Despite the strong appeal and belief from the Celtic camp, the referees deemed it a ‘natural movement’ by the defender and opted not to award the penalty.

The incident sparked debate among pundits, with Scott Brown voicing his opinion that the penalty should have been given. The match remained goalless at half-time, with both teams cautious in their approach. The pivotal moment came when Greg Taylor’s cross found Kyogo, whose header hit Davies’ arm, leading to loud shouts for a penalty from the Celtic fans.

With the introduction of VAR, there was anticipation that the decision might be overturned in Celtic’s favor. However, the match officials stood by their initial call, citing Davies’ arm position as a natural one. Despite differing opinions from commentators and analysts, the consensus seemed to lean towards the decision not to award the penalty.

Former players turned pundits like Alan Hutton and Neil Lennon acknowledged that while the decision might seem harsh, it was in line with current VAR guidelines. Conversely, Scott Brown felt strongly that the decision was unfair and believed that it should have been a penalty.

Overall, the contentious penalty incident added drama and debate to the Scottish Cup Final, showcasing the ongoing evolution and debate surrounding the implementation of VAR in football.