Celtic to seek 'clarification' over performance of 'pro-Juventus' referee

Manager Neil Lennon was furious after the 3-0 Champions League defeat

Celtic will seek “clarification” from UEFA over referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco's performance in the 3-0 Champions League defeat to Juventus at Parkhead on Tuesday night, manager Neil Lennon has revealed.

The Spanish official came in for widespread criticism of the way he allowed the Serie A side to manhandle Celtic players at times during the first-leg of their last-16 tie.

Ahead of tomorrow's Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Dundee United at Parkhead, Lennon said: "The referee didn't do his job and there has been a lot of talk since Tuesday night regarding it so we are looking for clarification on the referees decisions during the game.

"We are going to compile a DVD and send it to them (UEFA) and wait and see what answers we do get."

Lennon continued: "It's a myth that Juventus 'did their homework'. That's rubbish.

"Juventus defend like that week-in, week-out in Serie A.

"If anything we had done our homework and we made sure the referee was aware of it and he was looking at it time and again and Juventus went unpunished.

"We needed a strong referee and we didn't have that.

"It was blatant. I have seen photographs where the shirt was almost pulled off Gary Hooper's back and he ends up at one stage in the goal.

"I admire Gary for keeping his cool, if it had been me I might have got sent off for something I would have regretted later on.

"As I said after the game, 10 or 11 years ago we got a penalty against Juventus in the exact same circumstances, the player was warned about grappling with Chris Sutton, the corner comes in he did again and the referee gave a penalty.

"Have the rules changes since then?

"Gianluca Vialli (former Juventus skipper) said we should have had two penalties, Graham Poll and Dermot Gallagher (former referees).....Trevor Francis said that even in his time in the 80s (in Italy) it was never as blatant as what he saw the other night, so these guys can't all be wrong and the referee right."

PA