It was important that he remained professional’ – Claude Puel backs Lee Probert yellow card

Leicester City boss Claude Puel has defended referee Lee Probert after he booked Demarai Gray in their emotionally charged game against Cardiff City.

The 22-year-old winger scored the only goal of the match and in celebration took off his shirt to reveal a tribute to the club’s owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha who died in a helicopter crash last Saturday.

Probert, following the letter of the law, subsequently brandished a yellow card and though his decision upset many Puel feels it was the right thing to do.

“We played like professionals and it was important for the referee to be professional too,” he told reporters.

The impossible dream

Srivaddhanaprabha, the founder and CEO of King Power Duty Free, acquired Leicester City in 2010 when they were in the Championship.

Under him they would gain promotion to the Premier League in 2014 as winners of the Championship and subsequently endured a relegation scrap in their first top-flight season back.

READ MORE: Eight refereeing mistakes so bad the official was forced to apologise

It wasn’t enough to keep Nigel Pearson in the job as he was succeeded by former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri and in his first season the Foxes pulled off a miracle as the relegation favourites, and 5000-1 outsiders, became champions of England for the first time.

They spectacularly fulfilled Srivaddhanaprabha’s ambitious dream and the Thai businessman became a popular and respected figure in the local community with his death not only mourned in his native homeland but in the east Midlands as well.

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