Ref admits Shearer should have seen red

Shearer has been charged by Uefa for violent conduct for an alleged elbow on Inter defender Fabio Cannavaro and he will learn his fate later on Friday.

If found guilty Shearer is set to be handed a three-game ban meaning Newcastle will be without their two star strikers for the next three games after Craig Bellamy was sent off for hitting out at Marco Materrazi.

Bre did not see the incident involving Shearer, but after being told what happened he admitted he would have sent off the Magpies skipper.

"I didn't get a clear view of the Shearer incident but I've talked to friends who saw it on TV," Bre told The Sun.

"They told me Shearer used his elbow and, if what they described gives the true picture, I'd have had to send him off, too."

Bre also described Bellamy as being 'stupid' for reacting to Materrazi but he had some sympathy for Shearer.

"Some Italians are very professional in little things they get away with," said Bre.

"I could see Shearer was irritated, especially after his team were down to ten men. When he and Cannavaro clashed, though, I did not see what happened clearly."

Shearer will defend himself against the charge of violent conduct insisting he was just trying to get away from the close marking of Cannavaro, who he felt was lucky to stay on the field after a series of fouls.

"Their player was holding me and he would not let me go. I had to try to get away," said Shearer.

"He was given a yellow card early on and, on another day, he might have got another for persistent fouling. But that's what you get when you play Italians.

"I feel okay and I will defend it if I have to.

"Remember, he had me in a bear hug and I tried as best I could to get loose.

"What was I expected to do - just stand there and accept it?"

Italian international Cannavaro believes Bre bottled the decision to send off Shearer because he had already reduced the home side to ten men with the dismissal of Bellamy.

"Shearer deserved a red card. But the referee didn't have the courage to produce one because he had already sent off a Newcastle player," said Cannavaro.