Stewart Regan has lept to the defence of Scottish referee Craig Thompson, claiming he handled the Champions League quarter-final well despite some controversial decisions

Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan has come to the defence of Craig Thompson following Malaga's condemnation of the referee after their last-gasp 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

The Spanish club's president, Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Thani, was critical of Thompson's performance in the second leg of his side's quarter-final tie in Europe's elite competition, adamant that the Germans' winning goal was offside.

But Regan has now come out in support of his fellow Scotsman, instead alleging that he had been let down by the work of his officiating crew, and hopes Uefa and Fifa will continue to use him in the future.

"Craig Thomson has had a fantastic season and that was why he was selected to referee a Champions League match at the highest level. I thought his handling of the game was very, very good," he told STV sport.

"Unfortunately a number of decisions for the people working alongside him perhaps let him down. But unfortunately these things happen in football.

"It doesn't get away from the fact that Craig Thompson is a first-class referee and that's why he has risen through the game in the way he has."

"I think Craig has done everything to justify inclusion in both Uefa and Fifa competitions and the issues are not about Craig Thomson, it is about the decisions made by a number of supporting officials."