Why Celtic's Nir Bitton is so frustrated by red card - 'we have seen some crazy decisions in this league'

Nir Bitton might have his eyes on another treble but first he simply wants to last the course against Dundee United in the Scottish Cup on Monday night.

The midfielder was red carded the last time the sides met in January. With the score then goalless it threatened to put a dent in Celtic’s title ambitions. But the home side managed to secure a very late winner to let Bitton off the hook. Not that he felt particularly indebted to his teammates.

Anger at what he felt was the soft nature of the second yellow after a tangle with Declan Glass was the predominant emotion.

The subsequent suspension robbed Bitton of the chance to play against Rangers as well as taking him nearer sharing Scott Brown’s unenviable record of being the most red-carded Celtic player of all-time. He is now only one behind his former teammate’s total of seven. It doesn’t seem so bad when considering just how long he has been at the club. This is his ninth season and he is contracted for one more.

No wonder current manager Ange Postecoglou has paid tribute to a player he inherited when he arrived in the summer.

“He is one of the few experienced ones we had left,” said Postecoglou. “I think the way we play suits him being in midfield for us. For me it has been great for me to call on him particularly when you look at that number six role as it is a pivotal role.”

Bitton, for his part, is relishing being back in the cut and thrust of midfield. If he features in his side’s Scottish Cup quarter-final trip to Tannadice tomorrow he will have has played 36 times already this season – his most appearances in a single campaign since 2016-17. That’s even with a couple of suspension thrown in.

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