An angry John Guidetti felt the referee killed Celtic’s Europa League match with Inter after his decision to send off Virgil van Dijk.
The Bhoys saw van Dijk dismissed late in the first half after the Dutchman collected two yellow cards in the space of nine minutes, before Fredy Guarin sealed the 1-0 win with a thunderous 25-yard strike which flew into the top corner.
“It’s a shame,” the 22-year-old told SempreInter.com. “I don’t think that van Dijk should’ve gotten a second yellow card for that challange. It’s incredible, the referee killed the game.
“I think we played really well, we created a lot of chances and I think that we should’ve gotten a penalty.
“I got to see the penalty situation on video and it seemed like a clear penalty.
“It’s always hard to play with one man down, playing against Inter is difficult because they’re a good team and plus the San Siro gives them a big advantage.
“But still, it’s sad that the match was decided by the referee. It’s hard to play with ten men and not get a penalty that you deserve one.
“As I said, for me there was a penalty we should’ve had and we shouldn’t have gotten the red card.
“The Celtic fans have yet again proven to be fantastic and follow their team everywhere. They’re always like this, always fantastic. They always support us in every occasion.
“Because of this I wanted the game to be decided by the players, and not the referee.”
Celtic and Scottish fans are tiresome with their whining. They never foul. They’re so brave. Etc. Even when they get outclassed outright they still don’t give credit. I remember when Juve beat them soundly a couple of years back and they believed they were the equal.
Look, it was a tad harsh but welcome to the club. Know how many times Italian clubs have been jobbed? I can sympathize on some level because it’s rough to play hard like Celtic does and lose.
Other than that Celtic-Inter was an interesting tie.
It’s soccer.
the ref was either incompetent or a cheat, simples
Ooooh, more whining from Celtic, I’m shocked. I’m so sorry that you’re no longer relevant.
I do recall that Celtic was very bitter towards Juventus after the 3-0 loss at Celtic Park two years ago.
The Celtic fans and staff need to acknowledge that their club is not good enough to have long campaigns in Europe, regardless of the refereeing quality. This is not the Jock Stein vintage but this Celtic side is not even as good as Martin O’Neill’s teams.
Vito, I agree. Celtic have good qualities but there seems to be a lack of realism in their expectations. Inter are a decent, beatable side that Celtic didn’t have the legs to defeat. After all, they failed to get the result in Scotland allowing Inter three away goals.
Your statement is one of sheer ignorance, Alex. You’re insulting a whole country’s fans based on what – a few passionate supporters you’ve argued with online and have never met?…
It’s plain and simple. Most European referees that take on these Europa League matches are shocking. 3/5 games are interrupted by some little man trying to control a game too much. They have a lack of consistency, are too lenient on off-the-ball jostling but too quick on a firm, clean challenge. They also have a ridiculous tendency to ruin a good advantage by calling it back and always give it in the dumbest positions.
Every Celtic fan has a right to feel aggrieved after that game last night because it’s another example of a poor referee ruining a game.
I watched the game and Virgil van Dijk’s challenge in which he received the first yellow want a fantastic challenge and didn’t even merit a break in play. A matter of minutes later, Santon concedes a blatant corner, officials give a goal-kick and Virgil ends up wrong side from that and gets a second yellow – which was even harsh to give for an individual incident.
Prior to all of this, Santon clatters Stuart Armstrong in the back when he’s clean through on goal in the penalty box – a even more blatant foul that the one Virgil received his second yellow for – and the referee ignores it.
To be quite frank, Celtic looked the better of the two sides prior to this and it’s very possible they would have caused the upset. Due to poor officiating, we will never know.
Inter were very, very lucky in both legs. You cannot look at their performance and accuse a side that cost £60,000,000 less to build of coming up short.
Take your cynical, pompous opinions elsewhere and actually watch a FOOTBALL game before you comment on one. I’m sure that having an interest in the BPL makes you as knowledgable as all of the other pundits.
Come on pal get real, I’m a Tim but NO ONE is going to take you seriously when you talk like that. Basically, according to you, everything Celtic did was just fine and anything Inter did was bad.And then you have the nerve to question other people motives and their football knowledge.
It’s comments like your that give reasonable(neutral) fans, like the original poster, the ammunition they use against us.
The fact was Alex that if you had actually bothered to have watched the game there were a number of questionable calls by the referee, Van Dijk’s first challenge he cleanly got the ball, he was unfortunate in the way he did so as the advantageous player drew the foul.
The incident that got him sent off was not worthy of a card, maybe stopping gameplay and a free kick, but it seems that the hoarding Inter players mimicking cards was enough for the referee to decide to put in the second yellow.
Fredy Guarin should have been booked midway through the second half when he clearly elbowed Johansen in the face, but came away with no booking and only a free kick. I
Add also to this list the clear penalty after Santon tackled Armstrong which was completely ignored. Slightly contentious
There were two cards given for what one could only guess as dissent for Gordon and for Kris Commons, the second of which was shown after the full time whistle.
Celtic are used to poor officiating, you only have to see the last derby with Rangers to see that but the fact was that there were was bad officiating on both legs; more so in the latter. It could be argued that Celtic have an aggressive game play but not one to warrant 7 cards being shown to the Celtic players.
The fact that they lasted the 50 minutes with 10 men and with a referee that arguably has not officiating in a fair manner is a clear reflection that Celtic are performing at the level that is required in the Europa League and arguably they would have stood a chance of winning if there was a fair playing field.
Fredy did score a screamer but arguably he shouldn’t have been on the pitch after elbowing Johansen.
Actually Watch a Celtic game and you will see a committed team that always gets stuck in. Actually watch a game and you will see why they deserve to go to Europe.
Again, why be so myopic? Anyone who was a neutral( not a Celtic lover or Inter hater) would wonder if YOU watched the game.
Van Dijk went through the back of him to get the ball, that’s how he got the ball. For his second he pulled the guy back only minutes after getting booked, I’d give him a card for just being that daft. And how do you know what the ref was thinking when he ran over, it’s a bit silly to think he wasn’t going to do anything until an Inter played waved his hand.
Guarin was booked.
Armstrong’s was not a penalty.
What is your point about Gordon and Commons? They did something wrong and got booked, when it happened is irrelevant.
It’s not easy being a Celtic supporter, we never seem to lose, it’s always someone elses fault.