Celtic manager Gordon Strachan cast doubt on the free-kick that led to their Champions League defeat against Villarreal in El Madrigal and admitted his team have a "mountain to climb" if they are to qualify for the knockout stages.
Villarreal captain Marcos Senna's curled effort after 67 minutes consigned Celtic to yet another defeat on their Champions League travels.
The Hoops had taken one point from a possible 45 away from Celtic Park in this stage of the competition before their second group game of this campaign and they now have only a single point ahead of their trip to Old Trafford.
Celtic striker Georgios Samaras squandered a great chance just before the interval and the visitors were made to pay for that miss after Paul Hartley fouled Joseba Llorente 25 yards from goal, with Spain international Senna curling the ball past Artur Boruc.
But the Hoops boss insisted all his players are convinced Llorente dived to win the free-kick.
Strachan said: "I had a look and I'm not convinced it was a free-kick. The players are not convinced it was a free-kick. Only the player involved will know if he dived. Pictures tell you."
He added: "It's going to be right hard work. We've got a mountain to climb.
"We can play at this level - that was a good enough performance for most places - but unfortunately we were up against one of the best teams in Europe at the moment."
Strachan also conceded his players came up against a superb player in match-winner Senna.
He said: "When they went 1-0 they showed they had a right good player. Marcos Senna is a world-class player I'm afraid and he showed it."
Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini backed the decision to award the crucial free-kick.
He said: "I don't know if it was a foul but the ref gave it so it was a foul."
He added: "I don't think the scoreboard reflected the way we dominated the game.
"They obviously came for a result but they didn't get the result they wanted, they didn't do a lot in our side of the pitch.
Samaras, meanwhile, will not beat himself up about his missed chance that might have changed the course of the game.
He said: "It was one of the best chances but I didn't score and I am looking forward to the next game.
"I am disappointed but my confidence is not affected at all. That's football.
"We had good discipline, we defended really well and made chances when we broke on the counter.
"We kept the ball well and deserved something more from the game."
The Hoops had taken one point from a possible 45 away from Celtic Park in this stage of the competition before their second group game of this campaign and they now have only a single point ahead of their trip to Old Trafford.
Celtic striker Georgios Samaras squandered a great chance just before the interval and the visitors were made to pay for that miss after Paul Hartley fouled Joseba Llorente 25 yards from goal, with Spain international Senna curling the ball past Artur Boruc.
But the Hoops boss insisted all his players are convinced Llorente dived to win the free-kick.
Strachan said: "I had a look and I'm not convinced it was a free-kick. The players are not convinced it was a free-kick. Only the player involved will know if he dived. Pictures tell you."
He added: "It's going to be right hard work. We've got a mountain to climb.
"We can play at this level - that was a good enough performance for most places - but unfortunately we were up against one of the best teams in Europe at the moment."
Strachan also conceded his players came up against a superb player in match-winner Senna.
He said: "When they went 1-0 they showed they had a right good player. Marcos Senna is a world-class player I'm afraid and he showed it."
Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini backed the decision to award the crucial free-kick.
He said: "I don't know if it was a foul but the ref gave it so it was a foul."
He added: "I don't think the scoreboard reflected the way we dominated the game.
"They obviously came for a result but they didn't get the result they wanted, they didn't do a lot in our side of the pitch.
Samaras, meanwhile, will not beat himself up about his missed chance that might have changed the course of the game.
He said: "It was one of the best chances but I didn't score and I am looking forward to the next game.
"I am disappointed but my confidence is not affected at all. That's football.
"We had good discipline, we defended really well and made chances when we broke on the counter.
"We kept the ball well and deserved something more from the game."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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