Copenhagen boss Jacob Neestrup says his side’s penalty should’ve been retaken and Alejandro Garnacho sent off for his antics.
He expressed his frustration, calling on referees to red card players for scuffing the penalty spot like the Man Utd player did.
It came with United conceding a 95th-minute penalty while leading 1-0 in their crucial Champions League group-stage encounter.
Garnacho was captured on camera deliberately messing with the spot in an attempt to give Copenhagen striker Jordan Larsson an unclean strike.
Man Utd goalkeeper Andre Onana went on to save Larsson’s kick, securing three much-needed points for Erik ten Hag’s side.
However, Garnacho’s antics left Kim Kallstrom calling them “childish” and “baby-level” while Copenhagen captain Viktor Claesson described the 19-year-old’s behaviour as “unsportsmanlike,” and suggested that there should be a deterrent to prevent players from doing the same.
Garnacho last night before Copenhagen took the penalty. 🔴🤣 pic.twitter.com/gTIvMi9I3U
— Paul 𝕏 Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll2) October 25, 2023
“It is up to referees and associations to set limits,” he said in a post-match interview with VG, as quoted by Sport Witness. “All you have to do is give a red card for something like that, then people stop doing it.”
Claesson said to Danish outlet Bold: “It’s unsportsmanlike. It’s not something I stand for or would do, but if he’s done it, he’s done it. I don’t think that was what decided whether he missed or scored.”
Meanwhile, Man Utd boss Ten Hag added that he didn’t see the incident and presumed Italian referee Marco Guida hadn’t either.
Kallstrom, a pundit for Swedish network TV4 Play, said, as per Expressen: “What an ugly type… That’s so childish. It’s such a baby-level thing.”
Presenter Olof Lundh replied: “This is the kind of thing you want to be able to punish afterwards.”
Player ratings
Man Utd:Onana (8), Dalot (7), Varane (6), Maguire (7), Reguilon (5), Amrabat (4), McTominay (5), Antony (5), Fernandes (6), Rashford (5), Hojlund (6).
Subs: Eriksen (7), Garnacho (6), Lindelof (7), Martial (n/a).
FC Copenhagen: Grabara (7), Ankersen (6), Vavro (7), Diks (6), Jelert (7), Lerager (7), Falk (6), Diogo Goncalves (6), Achouri (7), Claesson (6), Elyounoussi (6).
Subs: Oskarsson (6), Sorensen (6), Larsson (n/a).
Player of the match: Andre Onana.
“It is incredible, a great night, especially in the last dying seconds we concede a penalty, which should not happen. But then a brilliant save from Andre,” Ten Hag told TNT Sport.
“Slowly we have found our form this season and Harry Maguire played a very good game again and Andre as well had a very brilliant save just after half-time, which was very important.
“We conceded such a soft penalty and I think we should have had a penalty on Rashford, I do not know why that is not a penalty.
“But we dealt with it and that is a step up from a few weeks ago when we got out of rhythm, when we had some setbacks from refereeing decisions.
“But now we stayed calm after a poor first half and in the second half, we stepped up and all over, we created more chances than them.
“And finally, the win is justified, but it was a narrow escape in the end.”
SEE MORE: Referee slammed over Sunderland penalty appeal | Leicester groundsmen use ‘dirty tactics’
Twitter users reacted as the Copenhagen boss says his side’s penalty should’ve been retaken and Garnacho sent off for his antics…
@craigb972: Making it nice and flat for the penalty taker. What a gentleman.
@ACRGS: He was just cleaning the mud off his boots 🤣
@PaulThomas1889: The bloke is a diver big time, no wonder they are rubbish with him Anthony, Marshial and Bruno, moaners and cheats
@I_am_The_Kas: Just trying to get the mud off his boots surely 😭
@gazMUnited: Delete before they see it and ban him for 40 games and give them the 3 points
@GlennBond94: The outrage over this even though it didn’t effect the penalty at all 🤣🤣🤣 would understand if he slipped or miskicked it but was just a great save simple as that 🤷🏻♂️
@RichBream82: While everyone was arguing with the ref, there was only one thing Garnacho was thinking about 😂
@stretford_chat: Nah, this stuff isn’t for me this. You should get a one game ban for this. Bad form.
@AlexGregory1: Little bastard ❤️
@IamBradLambert: 24 carat bastard. I fucking love it #MUFC 🔴⚪⚫
@jbjdakota: Have to love him 🤣🤣🤣❤️
@elliot_hawkins: Why/how are players allowed to get away with this?
@Johnferns88: That’s the stuff… anything to win
@BarryBlue84: I’ll never understand, why bother? Any penalty taker worth their salt would pat the spot back down before placing the ball as a matter of course.
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