It is funny after watching both English clubs in this week’s Champions League matches fail miserably to continental opponents that neither Arsene Wenger nor Manuel Pellegrini would take responsibility for their team’s losses preferring instead to blame the referee.
Pellegrini used the excuse of saying that because the referee was from Sweden he was not experienced enough for such a big game saying:‘This was a game with two important teams and it needed a referee with more experience.
‘He didn’t have any control of the game. It was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in charge of such an important match.’
‘There is more important football in Europe than Sweden,’ he added.
Meanwhile Andy Hudson an expert in Swedish football wrote in the Daily Mail:
Jonas Eriksson, who Sweden are sending to the World Cup, is held up as one of the most respected officials in the country. He’s usually calm on the pitch, thinks his decision through without being rash. Players usually find that they can have a conversation with him on the pitch.
The Swedish media are mainly in agreement that it was both a penalty and a sending off – a huge decision in a big match. One that maybe other officials might have hidden from.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could not use the inexperience card against Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli who has refereed in the Italian Serie A since 2002 and was selected by UEFA to referee the 2013 Champions League Final at Wembley between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund so instead used the excuse that referee’s in the other European Leagues are different than those in the Premiership saying:
“The referee made a decision that basically killed the game,” a disgruntled Wenger said of Italian official Nicola Rizzoli’s dismissal of his goalkeeper.
“I think these rules are different in every country. In Italy, they are sent off for these kind of fouls,” the Frenchman added.
“I think our keeper went in for the ball and he touched Robben, who certainly made more of it and I told him.
“He [Robben] has enough experience to make more of it. Bayern made a lot of every single contact, we are not used to that in England.
“We complain sometimes and I think fouls were given today that are not normally given in the Premier League.”
If he in fact believes what he said do you not think he should have told his players beforehand that the ref is likely to give fouls for things that you can get away with here in the Premiership so try and be more careful.
As for the Robben incident yes he made a meal of it but what player in the Premiership would not have done that also, in fact had it have been Luis Suarez instead of Arjen Robben he would have made the Dutchman’s theatrics look amateurish.
The truth of the matter is both Pellegrini and Wenger were not only outplayed by the teams they faced but also out foxed by Martinez and Guardiola who were better prepared for their games, and to blame the referee is just a poor reflection on themselves.
