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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Gabriel McKay

Willie Collum enrages Roma as Scottish referee awards controversial last-gasp penalty

Scottish referee Willie Collum is not making friends in Italy, after giving a controversial penalty against Roma.

The Serie A side were 1-0 up in the dying stages of their Europa League tie with Borussia Monchengladbach, when Nico Elvedi headed the ball against Chris Smalling's face.

With the match in the 93rd minute, Collum inexplicably pointed to the spot - causing huge protests from the Roma players.

Lars Stindl stepped up to convert the kick, and it's fair to say the Scottish official won't be welcome for a drink in Rome any time soon - unless he visits a Lazio bar.

Speaking to Sky Italia after the match Roma manager Paulo Fonseca didn't hold back: "It's difficult to accept this kind of situation.

"The players are devastated, because we can't forget that we played the team that's top of the Bundesliga and, even with all the difficulties we have, we played a good game.

"It's difficult to accept.

"We need to react on Sunday because we know we played a good game and that we deserved a different result."

(AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking to the same outlet, former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko was furious: "It's a serious mistake which can't happen at this level.

"We now have five points and anything could happen, if we'd won it would have been easier.

"I don't understand the referee, you could see immediately that it had hit Smalling in the face. It's an incredible mistake.

"I told him to look at his face, but for him it was a clear penalty so I didn't want to get a yellow or red card (by continuing to protest)."

Smalling himself later weighed in on Twitter writing: "Disbelief that this decision went against us... We deserved the 3 points, so disappointed."

Roma's bitter rivals, Lazio, are taking on Celtic in Group E of the competition tonight.

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