Ralf Rangnick blasts ‘curious’ referee performance after Man Utd are dumped out of Champions League by Atletico Madrid

Ralf Rangnick has criticised the refereeing performance following Manchester United’s Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

Renan Lodi’s header in the first-half was the only goal in Wednesday’s second leg clash at Old Trafford and was enough to seal a 2-1 aggregate for the La Liga champions.

United felt Anthony Elanga was fouled in the build-up to that goal with the Swede going down under pressure from Reinildo.

Cristiano Ronaldo was among those visibly frustrated with the performance of referee Slavko Vincic on the night, with Rangnick believing the official was persistently fooled by Atletico’s attempts to run the clock down and win fouls throughout the night.

‘It was hard in the second half and always interrupted,’ Rangnick told BT Sport.

‘There was always somebody lying on the floor. I would also say some curious refereeing decisions.

‘I wouldn’t say they were decisive but at least he fell too often for those time-wasting antics and four minutes at the end added on was a joke for me.’

On the incident involving Elanga in the lead-up to Atletico’s goal, Rangnick was adamant a foul should have been given.

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‘That was a foul for sure on Anthony Elanga but the referee and the linesman didn’t see it that way.

‘For me that was the only real moment, and the offside goal, that they scored with. Apart from that, we defended well and we were compact in their transition moments.

‘There is nothing I can blame the team for in the first half.’

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