Uefa Cup round of 32, second leg/Blackburn Rovers 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0 (Bayer Leverkusen win 3-2 agg): Mark Hughes rounded on Spanish referee Alberto Mallenco after Blackburn tumbled out of the Uefa Cup at Ewood Park last night. The official gave a number of bizarre decisions which infuriated the home supporters, and that frustration spilled on to the pitch.
A number of players from both sides squared up at one stage as the game threatened to turn ugly.Blackburn's Stephen Warnock and Sergej Barbaraz were both booked following the melee.
Referee Mallenco also spoke to Hughes late in the game after he had queried a throw-in awarded to Bayer Leverkusen.
The German side used time-wasting tactics in last night's second leg, securing their place 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16 with a goalless draw.
Blackburn could have progressed had Benni McCarthy (twice) and substitute Shabani Nonda not squandered good opportunities.
Hughes said: "Time wasting is part and parcel of the European game. It's used by many clubs. The referee needed to be stronger in that respect.
"I was more disappointed in the referee that he allowed it to happen for so long."
McCarthy saw one effort go past the post then he screwed another shot wide, both from close range. Nonda could have got that vital goal three minutes from time but failed to test goalkeeper Jorg Butt.
BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-4-2): Friedel; Emerton, Khizanishvili (Roberts, 87 mins), Nelsen, Warnock; Bentley, Dunn, Tugay (Nonda, 71 mins), Pedersen; McCarthy, Derbyshire. Subs not used: Enckelman, Henchoz, Gallagher, Peter, Gray.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN (4-2-3-1): Butt; Castro, Haggui (Callsen-Bracker, 59 mins), Juan, Babic; Ramelow, Rolfes; Freier (Barnetta, 74 mins), Barbarez, Schneider; Voronin (Madouni, 88 mins). Subs not used: Adler, Stenman, Kiesling, Athirson.
Referee: U Mallenco (Spain)
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