Celtic referee accusation emerges after Europa League loss as foul claim made prior to costly moment

Martin O’Neill reckons Celtic were hard done by after a possible foul in the build-up to one of two key Celta Vigo goals, during their latest Europa League loss.

The Hoops were coming into the game off the back of thrashing Hearts 7-1 domestically but suffered their third straight league phase loss in Europe. Mika Baur put them ahead before two Javi Rodriguez efforts but the first one, a set-piece headed home by the defender, irked Celtic manager O’Neill.

He felt his side had earned a free-kick of their own in the build-up before the levelling Celta Vigo cross was swung in. O’Neill told TNT Sports: "We conceded a free-kick and I thought a second before that we should have had a foul for us. They score from the free-kick and it knocks us a little bit. It gave them a bit of momentum.

Martin O’Neill on Celtic 1-2 Celta Vigo

"I think if [Liam] Scales' header goes in to make it 2-0, we get the three points. We've lost three matches now, remarkably we're still in with a chance [of progressing]. We've got to win here and got to win away from home.

"We take the lead in the game, if we get the second goal we win the match and it changes the whole dynamic. It didn't happen, that's it - we need to try to find a way to win European games."

On the game in his post-match presser, O’Neill added: “Where did it all go wrong? Well, we hit the bar with the header, we could have gone 2-0 in front. I think if we had done that, we probably would have won. But forget ifs, buts and maybes, we conceded a goal from a set-piece. My own view was that I thought it was a foul for us 10 seconds before that, 6 seconds before that. But it may not have been, although I thought it was.

“We just lost a bit of momentum. We conceded the second goal, which was a blinding shot by the player outside the penalty area. Yeah, it was a tough evening, but I can't ask for any more from the players.

“Tonight is disappointing because I thought that we could win the game, I felt that beforehand, and while it was a tight match throughout, I still thought we could win. I haven't looked at the table, but I was told, roughly, that there's still a lot of points to play for.

“We have to obviously win a game at Celtic Park and we have to win away from home. I think we're capable of doing that. I still believe that there are still plenty of points to play for. But we need to get a move on.”

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