The agent of Alex Meret has defended the Napoli goalkeeper after his dismissal in defeat to Juventus.

Meret was sent off for a professional foul on Cristiano Ronaldo during Napoli's 2-1 reverse.

Federico Pastorello stated on social media: “I wish to start by saying that it's not in our interests or habits to comment on refereeing decisions.

“It's not in our style or philosophy. It's for the club to do and, in this case, Napoli. What we always want to do is protect the image, integrity and professionalism of our clients.

“These are values that are undoubtedly more important than an incident in a game. What happened yesterday was part of the normal dynamics linked to this sport and, as such, they should be accepted. We accept them calmly.

“However we don't accept when wrong messages are being put out, like that of unsporting and violent conduct from a professional who has always acted with integrity.

“We leave the technical discussions on referees and VAR to experts in the sector. We're interested in reiterating strongly our support for Alex, whose fairness and competitive loyalty.

“Alex is an example to follow."