Claudio Ranieri: 'Referee didn't protect Radamel Falcao'

Monaco coach Claudio Ranieri has criticised the referee in his side's Coupe de France win against Monts D'or Azergues on Wednesday afternoon for failing to protect striker Radamel Falcao.

Falcao suffered a knee injury that could rule him out of the World Cup, and Ranieri said that before the incident he tried to discuss with the officials what he thought was aggressive play by Azergues.

"On many occasions, before the injury to Radamel, I drew the attention of the fourth official to the hardness of the game which was beginning to develop and on the danger that it posed to the players," Ranieri told his club's official website.

"I wasn't listened to and that's unfortunately not the first time that we have paid the consequences. It's very regrettable for French football, the players who make the game are not protected well enough by the referees."

Ranieri joined Monaco in 2012 and won Ligue 2 with them last season.