Brendan Rodgers has described Leigh Griffiths’ booking against Linfield as strange.
The Celtic striker had already been subjected to missile throwing from a corner kick when further missiles were aimed at him.
After highlighting coins thrown in his direction to referee Alejandro Hernandez it seemed that the Spanish referee made some sort of warning to the striker.
As he prepared to again take the corner a half bottle of Buckfast narrowly missed the Celtic player. As he took it towards the referee it seemed that Griffiths was booked- one of a number of puzzling decisions by the Spanish official.
???? BR on @Leighgriff09 being booked after a bottle was thrown at him: “Not what we want to see. Thought it was strange seeing him booked.”
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) July 14, 2017
???? BR on taking Leigh Griffiths off: “Took him off as he was booked & you never know how these games go, didn’t want to risk anything.” #UCL
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) July 14, 2017
Celtic were already cruising to a 2-0 victory but there seemed little interest from PSNI or the match stewards at the racist abuse directed at Celtic’s first scorer Scott Sinclair.
Brendan Rodgers’ side can now look forward to facing Rosenborg or Dundalk in the third round after the formality of Wednesday’s return leg.
