Hearts boss Robbie Neilson isn't one to mince his words if he feels his side have been wronged and he stayed true to form on Wednesday night.
He provided another loaded soundbite in the wake of his side's 3-1 defeat to league leaders Celtic. The 42–year–old claimed the opposition need a player to be "decapitated" for a red card to be issued to the champions on home turf before doubling down during a second interview. A significant claim, of course, and his ire was because Alexandro Bernabei escaped punishment for a crunching tackle on Nathaniel Atkinson with the game poised at 1–1.
Referee Alan Muir did not show the former Lanus left–back a yellow card and that's the source of Neilson's initial frustration after the incident was checked over by the VAR official. But it was deemed not to be worthy of a red and that meant Muir couldn't retrospectively book the defender – something Neilson was quick to seize on post–match.
IFAB's definition on serious foul play state: "A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play. Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play."
Neilson could barely hide his upset over the non–call but in a second interview his anger appeared as much to do with Muir not dishing out a yellow card in real time as the incident being compounded with no further punishment as the red card check didn't result in further action.
A clearly miffed Hearts boss – speaking to Sky Sports – said: "We have the decision for a potential red card. I think referee will look back and be pretty disappointed with himself. Those are things if that goes your way it changes the game."
And he followed by once again claiming the venue was a reason why there was no further action against the 22–year–old. He added: "You come here and it's very difficult to get these decisions, it's always the same, they have a big 60,000 people here. It takes a lot of strength to give that decision.
"The key thing, the disappointing thing, it's the first time I've ever seen a referee not book someone but it goes to a VAR review for a red card for serious foul play. As soon as it goes to that it's got to be a yellow card. I know he can't go back on it but he's 10 yards away, he's got to see it."
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