GUARDIOLA ON REF: ‘I REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR’

PEP GUARDIOLA has been dealt a blow after a referee whom he has accused of getting critical decisions wrong in the past was put in charge of Manchester City’s make-or-break Champions League tie against Liverpool tonight, WRITES JAMES DUCKER.

Antonio Mateu Lahoz has been appointed to officiate the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium only days after the Spanish referee – who has awarded three penalties against City in two matches – was criticised by Guardiola.

Guardiola was furious at Lahoz’s failure to award Sergio Aguero a penalty in the first leg of City’s 5-3 Champions League round-of-16 win over Monaco last season and instead book the Argentina striker for diving under a challenge from goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.

Lahoz awarded Monaco a penalty in the same game – which Radamel Falcao missed – and City ended up losing the second leg 3-1 to exit the competition on away goals. The Spaniard – who has issued 92 yellow cards, three reds and given nine penalties in 18 domestic matches in Spain this season – also awarded two penalties against City, one of which was missed, in October’s 2-1 win over Napoli.

City were denied a strong penalty appeal in their 3-0 first leg defeat by Liverpool at Anfield last Wednesday, when Andrew Robertson appeared to foul Raheem Sterling in the second half, and Guardiola reacted in the immediate aftermath by also citing Lahoz’s decision in February last year.

“I remember what happened last year,” the City manager said. “It was 1-1 at home to Monaco when there was a clear penalty on Aguero and what should have been a red card, but the Spanish referee (Lahoz) didn’t call it. We went from a possible 2-1 lead to 2-1 deficit.”

Guardiola was unaware then that Lahoz would be appointed to take charge of the second leg against Liverpool and the news is unlikely to improve his mood, given his swipe at Martin Atkinson’s failure to award Aguero a penalty in Saturday’s defeat by Manchester United.

Ashley Young careered into Aguero late in the second half with City trailing and, although the United left-back’s initial contact was with the ball, he caught the Argentina striker thick on the ankle with his follow-through. (© Daily Telegraph, London)