Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo has leapt to the defence of pal Thierry Henry as the French captain and former Arsenal star faced the condemnation of the football world.

The Italian has a foot in both camps amid the controversy as a friend of both Henry, who he knows from their playing days in the capital, and Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trappatoni.

Di Matteo admits that the incident which has prompted Irish demands for a replay left him upset, but reckons Henry only acted as almost every other player across the globe would and did not deserve the storm of condemnation.

The Baggies boss said: “I believe that 99.9 per cent of footballers probably would have done the same. I am neither French nor Irish but I was upset with the goal that France scored.

“A lot of things went through my mind about allowing technology into football, the fourth official being allowed, the honesty of players.

“Thierry’s first reaction seemed to be instinctive and I think 99.9 per cent of players would have done the same. There is so much at stake and I think most would have done it.

“Sometimes it goes in your favour, sometimes not. What upset me most was how unfair it was.”