FALL GUYS Shakespeare seething at ref’s spot-kick ruling
But they will need heroic effort after ref’s penalty gaffe
LEICESTER CITY were beaten by a dubious penalty in their Champions League quarter-final here last night.
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann scored the 28th-minute spot-kick, that saw England’s sole survivors lose the first leg at the Vicente Calderon.
Marc Albrighton’s trip on Griezmann was judged by Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson to be just inside the box but replays showed contact was outside.
Leicester interim boss Craig Shakespeare said: ‘It’s a key moment in the game. It’s a really disappointing decision by the referee. He has to get that one right. You can’t guess on those ones. It’s a free-kick, it’s a definite free-kick, but it’s outside the box.’
Leicester also had sports scientist Tom Joel dismissed after a complaint by Atletico while he was standing in front of the home technical area. Shakespeare claimed he was simply giving water to Albrighton.
The first thing that must be said about the goal that won this game is that it was never a penalty.
It was, quite definitely, a foul. It was a rash challenge by Marc Albrighton and for that reason a very silly thing to do. And on the balance of play, it is hard to argue that Atletico Madrid were not worth the win. But Albrighton’s trip on Antoine Griezmann was outside the box, and by a reasonable distance, and that much should have been clear to referee Jonas eriksson, who pointed to the spot with confidence unmatched by competence.
So, bottom line, Leicester were worth a draw. A goalless draw, true, because it is hard to get any other kind when you haven’t had a shot on target all game, but a draw just the same.
Those waiting feverishly for Leicester’s players to get their comeuppance over the ennui that forced Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal remain frustrated. They are in with a chance next week, even if problems are mounting in defence with Robert huth’s suspension impacting on Wes Morgan’s injury absence. They need their captain back for this one, and how.
To put it into context, though, Andy King came on for Shinji Okazaki at half-time and when one considers that eight years ago this week he was playing for Leicester in division three against a club that doesn’t even exist any more, hereford United, it shows the strides the club have made just to be here.
Sadly, while this is uncharted territory for Leicester, some will be feeling deja-vu — and not just because Leicester were also complaining bitterly about the officiating when they lost to Atletico Madrid in the UeFA Cup in 1997.
UeFA have for many years had a disproportionate number of overpromoted Scandinavian officials at the top end of the referees roster and, although eriksson is far from the worst, his judgment at such a crucial moment was desperately poor. Griezmann was travelling, no doubt of that. Atletico Madrid are probably La Liga’s masters of the counter-attack and the Frenchman’s high- speed surge came at the end of a 10-minute spell that had marked Leicester’s first dominant period of the game.
Until then, they had been pegged back by wave after wave of Atletico attacks and brave, resilient defending had kept Diego Simeone’s team at bay. Gradually, though, Leicester came into their own. From giving up 80 per cent possession early on, they had cut Madrid’s levels down to the mid-60s and even offered a threat when Albrighton whipped a ball across the penalty area that flew just past Okazaki as he reached desperately for a touch.
Yet two minutes later, Leicester were trailing. That is what Atletico do. They invite you in and then mug you in the hallway, much like Antonio Conte’s Chelsea. So Griezmann collected the ball and set off at pace down the left flank, cutting inside at the vital moment as Albrighton switched flanks in a passionate attempt to head off the danger. he wanted it too much, perhaps, mistiming his interception and clipping Griezmann on his way past as he neared the box. he was a stride, maybe half that away, when he fell but eriksson pointed to the spot.
Bitter protests did nothing as ever, Albrighton was shown a yellow card — rightly — and Griezmann stepped up to capitalise on his own good work and good fortune. he made no mistake, hitting it to the right of Kasper Schmeichel, very cool, very controlled. It was a lousy break for Leicester, but it is hard to say Atletico’s win lead not deserved. For long periods they were very much the better team.
had they not been impatient, shooting from distance when perhaps a steadier approach was required, Leicester could have been in real trouble early on. They blocked, they smothered, they worked like stink, but they could barely get out of their half at times, let alone mount an attack.
Whether Simeone doesn’t fancy Schmeichel we cannot say, but the home team seemed to be under instruction to shoot on sight. Koke signalled their intentions with an effort from range after five minutes that struck the top of the right post.
Soon after, Yannick Carrasco should have done better after huth failed to clear a cross, which fell to him at the far post. he took it first time, on the volley, only to find the side- netting from a difficult angle.
Part of Madrid’s problem was that their best chances fell to their most fallible forward, Fernando Torres, who has never hit the heights of his first spell here, or his form at Liverpool. having slipped at a vital moment and offered up a tame shot in the first half, in the 61st minute he did the same again when in a better position. Torres took it wide of his marker, established a perfect shooting angle and lost his footing just as he was about to strike, the ball skimming off his boot and away for a throw-in.
Soon after, he was in the right place again but lacked the confidence to go it alone and instead fed Griezmann on the right, whose cross went just beyond the toe of Carrasco in the six-yard box.
Griezmann, Koke and Saul Niguez all tried their luck without success, but Leicester’s return fire barely registered. Credit Madrid for that. It is hard to remember a
team who handled Jamie vardy so expertly, judging his runs, cutting out his supply line, and the best Leicester could muster after halftime was a penalty appeal for a foul on riyad Mahrez that appeared somewhat ambitious.
nevertheless, this was a vintage — well, last season and the last month of this — display and while Leicester are vulnerable to an away goal next week, which would leave them needing three, Atletico will find them a different proposition at home.
The biggest problem for Leicester is that this is equally a game that plays to Atletico’s strength. Counter-attacking against a team that needs to score. It’s how they won last night. Well that and our familiar friend, human error.