Yesterday, I commended Philippe Clement for his tactical approach in the final. He deserves further praise for shifting fan sentiment from blaming a loser to embracing a victim mentality. Well played, Phil.
In the Road to Seville interview with Tony Hamilton and Clare Sweeney, it’s implied that referee John Beaton and VAR Alan Muir ignored an opportunity to escalate a Newco foul into a penalty. The incident unfolds in three distinct acts.
Act One, captured by Premier Sports’ main camera, shows Liam Scales fouling Vaclav Cerny just outside the penalty area. Act Three, also caught on the same camera, reveals Scales pulling Cerny’s shirt on the line—putting the action within the penalty box.
Act Two tells a different story. The main camera captures only Cerny’s right arm reaching out toward Scales. For the full picture, you have to check the goal-side camera, which shows Cerny grabbing Scales’ jersey while Scales grabs his in return. Scales lost his balance when Cerny made contact.
From the North Stand, we saw both players tugging at each other, leaving the referee to decide whether to call a free kick for Act One or let the play continue.
