Jardim hints at ref frustration

23 April 2015 08:17

Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim was "proud" of his players but hinted of disappointment with the performance of Scottish referee Willie Collum after their Champions League run came to an end at the hands of Juventus.

A goalless draw at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday night followed a 1-0 win for Juventus in Turin, and meant the French league side bowed out.

Jardim said: "We are disappointed with the result but proud of the team and the performance. Monaco were never inferior to Juventus over the two matches.

"We played good football. We have showed Europe our individual and collective qualities.

"The refereeing? I'm not going to talk about it. I'll leave it to the media to do that."

Quoted in L'Equipe, Jardim added: "But for a Champions League quarter-final not to depend on the quality of the players, that makes me sad.

"I'm sure UEFA aren't happy about that either.

"We have proudly represented France and Monaco with football of quality and intensity. Now we have to think about the league and to stay in the top three positions."

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini was booked in the opening minute when he handled the ball to prevent Joao Moutinho from breaking forward, and the same centre-back was involved along with team-mate Arturo Vidal as Monaco livewire Geoffrey Kondogbia went down in the penalty area towards the end of the first half.

Monaco wanted a penalty but Collum dismissed their appeals.

Collum did not referee the first leg, with Czech Pavel Kralovec the man at the helm in Italy, where the award of the penalty from which Vidal netted the only goal of the tie upset Monaco. On that occasion, Ricardo Carvalho rather clumsily ran into Alvaro Morata, and Kralovec pointed immediately to the spot.

Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev said: "I feel great pride, of the team, the players, the coach.

"When I think about the two matches, it has perhaps been played out on the refereeing decisions.

"And while fair play is the slogan of football, I am convinced that video could help refereeing in future."

Source: PA