LILLE APPEAL

Last updated : 27 February 2007 By Editor

The Guardian:

Lille yesterday filed another appeal against Ryan Giggs's goal in Manchester United's 1-0 win over the French side in the Champions League last week.

On Friday Uefa rejected Lille's attempt to get the game replayed on grounds that the referee made a technical mistake when he allowed Giggs to take the winning free-kick before the whistle in last Tuesday's game. European football's governing body will hear the second appeal on Friday.

In the 83rd minute, following a foul on Louis Saha, Giggs looked at the referee and then curled a shot over the wall, leaving the Lille goalkeeper, Tony Sylva, stranded as the ball sailed into the net.


Telegraph:

A Uefa disciplinary commission threw out Lille's original protest last Friday, saying they were standing by Dutch referee Eric Braamhaar's decision to allow the quickly taken free kick to stand.

At the same time Lille were charged with improper conduct after their players appeared to briefly threaten to stage a boycott over the 83rd-minute winner.

With another Uefa disciplinary hearing set for March 22 to examine who was to blame for breakdown in security which led to a dangerous crush in the manchester United section of the Stade Felix Bollaert, Lille's decision to contest last week's verdict will only heighten tensions ahead of next week's second leg.

Lille claim Braamhaar made a technical mistake in allowing Giggs to take the free kick without having blown his whistle beforehand and asked for the game to be replayed.

The club said: "The president (Michel) Seydoux and management have decided to appeal the decision announced Friday by the European authority.

"The real question is to establish how the Manchester players came to take the free kick quickly which lead to a goal while they signalled their intention of doing the opposite. Following these principles, [we] have therefore taken the decision to go through with a fight that seems correct."

They had until midnight yesterday to file an appeal against the decision by Uefa. Lille's second appeal will be heard on Friday.

Last week's match was played at the home of French league rivals Lens as Lille's own stadium is considered not to meet Uefa safety standards.