Celtic expert slams Robbie Neilson as Alexandro Bernabei footage analysed
Frank McAvennie has insisted Alexandro Bernabei should not have been sent off for Celtic on Wednesday (8 March).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Hoops striker said Bernabei’s tackle on Hearts’ Nathaniel Atkinson looked worse than it actually was.
As shown on Sky Sports (8 March), Hearts were awarded a free kick after the Celtic defender’s sliding challenge on Atkinson.
Referee Alan Muir did not show a card to Bernabei and after a check, VAR official Nick Walsh agreed with the onfield official’s decision.
As quoted by Clyde 1 (8 March), Hearts boss Robbie Neilson questioned the referee’s decision not to show a red card to the Hoops defender.
Neilson claimed coming to Parkhead players need a “decapitation” before getting a red card against the Celts.
But McAvennie insisted the referee made the correct decision.
“If he was on his feet for that tackle and lunged, that is a sending off all day long,” he told Football Insider.
“But he was on the ground and he has gone to kick the ball and missed it, it is not a sending off. There was no intent, he did not lunge in.
“Does Neilson want nobody to tackle now? You could see that it was an accident. It looked worse than what it was but the bottom line is he was on the ground.
“He did not show his studs, that is the reason why he did not get booked or sent off.“
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