Meier insists penalty decision was '100% correct'

Referee Urs Meier insists he has no regrets over handing Lyon the late penalty that ended Celtic’s Champions League campaign.

Hoops boss Martin O’Neill is still furious that the Swiss official awarded the spot-kick that allowed the French side to secure a 3-2 win and deny Celtic a place in the last 16.

Celtic must now settle for a UEFA Cup meeting with FK Teplice instead after Meier ruled that Bobo Balde handled the ball in the area late in the game.

But the referee is adamant that he made the correct decision after watching the incident again on video.

He told the Scottish Sun: “Of course I still have the same impression of that incident, having seen the video, that I did on the pitch.

“Look at Celtic’s number six [Balde] – he jumps like a goalkeeper playing handball. He touched the ball with his hand and diverted its course – that is a penalty.

“I was 100% correct then and I am now. I understand how hard it is to lose a Champions League place that late in the game.

“I know why there was a reaction like there was but you have to look at it from a neutral position. It was a handball and for me it was deliberate.”

Speaking about O’Neill, Meier added: “We had no conversation with each other - he killed me with his eyes.

“He said nothing to me, though, and there will be nothing in the report to UEFA about that.”