Lyon boss Paulo Fonseca has been suspended for nine months by the French Professional Football League (FLP) following his violent confrontation with a referee. Fonseca was seen squaring up to and screaming in the face of official Benoit Millot as the referee sent the manager off during Lyon’s 2-1 Ligue 1 victory over Brest on…
Al-Nassr are hoping to halve Jhon Duran’s suspension for his dismissal against Al-Ettifaq after sending the Saudi Football Federation a “compilation of errors” made by the referee who sent him off, according to a report. Striker Duran, who has scored four goals in four games in all competitions since leaving Aston Villa for £65 million…
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho was booked by a referee he had called “top-level” after his side had a goal disallowed during the first half of the Istanbul derby on Monday. Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, who officiated last season’s Champions League final, approached the technical areas to caution Mourinho and Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk in the…
Spanish referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero has been exonerated of any misconduct following an investigation by the country’s football federation (RFEF) into a potential conflict of interest involving his officiating and a private sports consultancy firm he co-owns. In a statement released on Thursday, the RFEF confirmed that no disciplinary action would be taken against…
Barcelona’s 17-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal demonstrated the maturity of a much older player when he was asked about the recent refereeing controversies plaguing La Liga. Real Madrid have railed against perceived injustices throughout the campaign, with reports suggesting that they could even considering leaving La Liga entirely. Madrid’s fury with the nation’s officials has been…
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) say its referees are “repulsed” by the vitriol directed at Jose Munuera Montero after he sent off Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham on Saturday. Bellingham was dismissed in the first half of the 1-1 draw at Osasuna after Montero decided he had used abusive language in his direction. The England…
Carlo Ancelotti was furious at the decision to send Jude Bellingham off against Osasuna for dissent on Saturday. Real Madrid were left frustrated as they dropped points again, with Bellingham’s controversial red card proving to be the game’s major talking point. Los Blancos had taken an early lead but struggled to find a second goal,…
Manchester City and Newcastle United are set to meet at the Etihad Stadium at 3pm on Saturday, with the two sides returning to Premier League action after both prevailing in the FA Cup fourth round. Heading into the match, City and Newcastle are level on points and goal difference, with the hosts sitting one place…
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk claimed that referee Michael Oliver did not have control of a volatile Merseyside derby which saw Everton snatch a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser on Wednesday night. Beto fired the Toffees into an early lead from a controversially awarded free-kick before Alexis Mac Allister swiftly equalised. Mohamed Salah prodded the visitors in…
Aston Villa host Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the FA Cup this Sunday, as Unai Emery and Ange Postecoglou look to lift their first piece of silverware in England. A place in the last 16 of the competition is on offer, with both clubs ready to put the Premier League to one side…
La Liga president Javier Tebas has issued a stinging criticism of Real Madrid after they sent a formal letter of complaint to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) over the standard of refereeing. Madrid were incensed by Alejandro Muniz Ruiz’s failure to send off Espanyol defender Carlos Romero for a cynical tackle on Kylian Mbappe last…
Legendary Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has blasted Real Madrid for “always” using the performance of referees as a “smokescreen” to cover their deficiencies. The 15-time Champions League winners wrote a letter of complaint to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Monday bemoaning the standard of officiating in La Liga, having been outraged by the decisions…
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says in-game announcements by referees are “not necessary” and wants matchday squads to be increased to 23 players. Stuart Attwell became the first official in English football history to announce a decision during a match when the Reds travelled to Tottenham in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals on…
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was left furious after referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz failed to send off Espanyol’s eventual match-winner Carlos Romero for a cynical foul on Kylian Mbappe. Madrid were heavy favourites to beat relegation-threatened Espanyol having scored 20 goals in their last five matches across all competitions. But despite raining down 21 shots…
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey claims David Coote’s sexuality was an open secret among his colleagues and says the 42-year-old deserves a second chance. Coote was sacked by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December after a video emerged of him using disparaging language towards Liverpool and the club’s former manager Jurgen…
Former Premier League referee David Coote has revealed that struggles with his sexuality and the “relentlessness” of the modern football calendar led him to use drugs. Coote was sacked in December after an independent investigation into his actions following the release of a video which showed him calling former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp “a German…
Michael Oliver, fresh from his controversial performance on Saturday, has been named the referee for Barcelona’s Champions League game with Atalanta on Wednesday night. The Newcastle official sent off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly at Molineux for a challenge on Wolves full-back Matt Doherty as he surged away from his own penalty area. Oliver deemed the challenge…
Throughout the history of the game, complaining about referees is the one constant that supporters of every team can agree on. As the game has progressed, the officials in charge of matches have come under more and more scrutiny, as managers, players and even pundits blame the referee for something they missed during a game…
