O'Neill frustrated by referee's decision

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill last night vented his anger at Swiss referee Urs Meier as a 3-2 defeat in Lyon meant his side missed…

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill last night vented his anger at Swiss referee Urs Meier as a 3-2 defeat in Lyon meant his side missed out on a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

With the Glasgow side just six minutes away from a place among Europe's elite Meier awarded the French champions a penalty. He punished Bobo Balde for handball and Celtic had no chance of recovering from Juninho's spot-kick.

O'Neill said: "The fact is that he had his hand up and you can't give anybody any possibility of giving a decision like that at all. The disappointing thing is that the Lyon players all turned to go for a goal kick and nobody thought it was a penalty.

"It is so reminiscent of two seasons ago against Juventus [when a late penalty condemned them to a 3-2 defeat]. Everybody that night turned away and the referee has pointed to the spot so it's a sore one.

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"I saw the ball go into the penalty box and Bobo's arm up but it wasn't a deliberate handball. There was a slight touch if anything at all.

"I think the referee knows this is a massive game for both teams in the Champions League and he has to be sure that it is a deliberate handball,"

The referee and his assistants had to be escorted off the pitch.

Celtic fought back twice as John Hartson and Chris Sutton cancelled out goals from Giovane Elber and Juninho.

PA