Derek McInnes remains adamant that Kilmarnock were denied a penalty against Celtic in the ViaPlay Cup last season as he prepares to host the Hoops in the last-16 of the competition on Sunday.
The Parkhead side were leading by an early Daizen Maeda opener in the semi-final at Hampden Park in January as the match entered six added minutes added time.
A clumsy challenge by Celtic substitute Giorgos Giakoumakis on Killie defender Joe Wright inside the box was then ignored by referee Willie Collum.
Giakoumakis then tapped in a second to clinch a spot in the final for the Hoops with Killie boss McInnes saying afterwards: “Joe Wright was manhandled. There is no way Giakoumakis can get to the ball but he has come through him, two arms round him. It is a penalty kick.”
It was a self-aware McInnes who revisited the incident at his media conference at Rugby Park on Thursday.
He said: “Last season at Hampden we felt really aggrieved that we didn’t get the chance to take it to extra-time.
“Nothing will change my mind that we should have had a penalty kick in the last minute of the game.
“Celtic were firm favourites and it is not to say they wouldn’t have gone on to win it in extra-time but we did deserve the chance to go to extra-time.
“I believe the referee was told it was maybe worth having a look at and the referee thought he seen it for what it was, he thought it was a defender trying to buy a penalty.
“But maybe he should have been told to see the incident – here’s me, let it go Derek – he should have been made to go and see the incident and if he still arrives at the same conclusion then it is down to the referee’s perception but for me it was a penalty.
“We did a lot right in the game, we carried a threat, we played with two strikers, we tried to impose ourselves on the game and that was at Hampden.
“But you have to do so much right in the game against them to try to limit the opportunities and get the balance between defending and attacking.
“Obviously, it is now a cup tie here. We didn’t offer up anything in the two (league) games against Celtic here (5-0 and 4-1 defeats) and it is important to show, as we did against Rangers (1-0 win on opening day of league season), that there is a different side to us this season.
“We feel we are a team that can win a cup. We have to feel that and say that.
“Obviously the draw is tough, we are up against a team who have dominated cup competitions in the last wee while so it is important for us to see the opportunity that is there.
“If we can win this one it can set us up nicely for the rest of the competition.”
Onana admits he is willing to take Man Utd criticism 'bullets'
Andre Onana says he is willing to take criticism "bullets" after a poor Premier League campaign for Manchester United.
The Red Devils recorded their lowest-ever finish in eighth place, with the manager and players coming under scrutiny for some of their performances.
One of those singled out was Onana, who joined United from Inter at the start of the season, after an error-strewn start to his life at the club.
Asked how he deals with the criticism coming from fans, pundits, and former players, Onana said it does not bother him.
"For me, I don't pay attention to it. I have come into this team to take bullets because we are under construction – at the moment, we are not the best," he told the Overlap.
"We have other teams who are doing better than us, and we have to be honest and recognise that. If things and when things are going wrong, don't go for the youngest player – I'm here to take it, Bruno [Fernandes], Casemiro and Harry [Maguire] are there, and we are used to it.
"When it's people who were sitting where I'm sitting, who won everything, sometimes it's bizarre – we are in the same boat. We try to follow your thing and what you did. For me, I don't mind, but other people may be affected. For me, to be honest, it's just a part of the game."
United conceded 84 goals in all competitions this season, their worst-ever tally in a single campaign.
Erik ten Hag’s side also missed out on a European place due to their league finish but have another opportunity to get one if they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Onana is optimistic though as he views the season as a learning curve.
"I'm happy because we have good people around us, especially at this club, who helped me so much," he added.
"That's why I'm still smiling - because the first six months were difficult, but at the same time, it was a good moment to learn.
"After playing the final of the Champions League and the final of the Europa League, you think you are the best – life gives you an opportunity to learn and says, 'You are never too big'.
"You can have a good season, next year you have a bad season, but the year after an amazing season. The ups and downs and being here, you have to deal with them – especially being a goalkeeper."
Messi to lead Argentina in Copa America, Dybala left out of squad
Argentina are aiming to defend their Copa America title as Lionel Scaloni names a 29-man provisional squad ahead of the tournament.
Lionel Messi will once again captain the side, with Scaloni also choosing the experienced Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi in the squad.
Enzo Fernandez is called up, despite missing the end of Chelsea's Premier League season due to having groin surgery in April. Lisandro Martinez is also recalled despite only recently returning from injury.
A surprise omission to the squad is Roma’s Paulo Dybala, who has scored 16 goals across all competitions this season and earned three player of the month awards in an impressive season.
However, the forward could not force his way back into the squad after being limited to just two substitute appearances for Argentina in 2023.
Scaloni will have to narrow his squad down to 26 men, meaning three will drop out of the squad by June 12 before their Copa America opener against Canada on June 20.
Before the tournament, Argentina will play friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala.
Argentina squad
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Ajax), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (Real Betis), Lucas M. Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Valentin Barco (Brighton
Midfielders: Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Leandro Paredes (Roma), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham)
Forwards: Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Valentin Carboni (Monza), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
Leverkusen star Wirtz named Bundesliga Player of the Year
Florian Wirtz played a starring role for Bayer Leverkusen this season and has been named the Bundesliga Player of the Year.
Wirtz scored 11 goals and provided a further 11 assists on the way to helping Leverkusen win their first-ever top-flight title.
The forward was pivotal in Leverkusen’s title charge as they became the first German team to complete an unbeaten season.
Only Victor Boniface has scored more goals than Wirtz this campaign, netting 14 times, while his tally of 11 assists is second only to Alejandro Grimaldo (13) across the Bundesliga.
Wirtz came off the bench to score a hat-trick in Leverkusen’s 5-0 win over Werder Bremen in April which clinched the title with five games remaining.
The Bundesliga champions still have the German Cup final on Saturday against Kaiserslautern, which follows the Europa League final against Atalanta on Wednesday.
Wirtz played a critical role in helping Leverkusen reach their third European final, having been involved in eight goals in the Europa League this season (four goals, four assists), the most of any player in the team.
He has also created 28 chances from open play in the competition, a tally only five players can better in a Europa League campaign, most recently Amin Younes for Ajax in 2016-17 (30).
In all competitions, Leverkusen’s unbeaten run stretches to 51 matches, as they aim to finish an unbeaten season with a treble.
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