Robbie Neilson has defended Hearts youngster Lewis Neilson after his red card against Fiorentina.
The teenage centre-back was given his marching orders for a foul on striker Luka Jovic as the Jambos went down 3-0 in a bruising Europa Conference League defeat at Tynecastle on Thursday night. Goals from Rolando Mandragora and Christian Kouame put the Serie A heavyweights in control at half-time before Jovic added a third after the interval.
It was a straightforward victory for La Viola, with Hearts struggling to lay a glove on their opponents throughout. Their recovery cause was not helped by Neilson's dismissal barely two minutes post-restart, the defender adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity by pulling former Real Madrid forward Jovic's shirt as the ball bounced through towards keeper Craig Gordon. His manager didn't dispute the decision but insisted the experience will be an invaluable one for the 19-year-old.
