Benitez angry with handball goal

Last updated : 24 November 2004 By Adam Bryant
"Everybody around the world could see it was a handball," Benitez fumed. "The referee said to my players that he had seen it. But afterwards he was smiling and I do not know why."

"It was a bad game on a bad pitch and to lose to a handball makes things very difficult.

"The referee said the hand was close to the body, but everyone could see it was handball. When my staff went to see him afterwards to talk to him he was smiling, I do not understand that.

"When you see a referee in the right place and he still does not give the handball, and the linesman is also in the right spot and it is not given.

"I don't think we need video evidence but it is important to have a referee with a clear conscience.

"We have four referees now around the pitch, but somebody has to say something.

"When my players tried to talk to him afterwards he was just smiling at them, I just do not understand that."