Legendary Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has blasted Actual Madrid for “at all times” utilizing the efficiency of referees as a “smokescreen” to cowl their deficiencies.
The 15-time Champions League winners wrote a letter of criticism to the Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF) on Monday bemoaning the usual of officiating in La Liga, having been outraged by the selections of Alejandro Muniz Ruiz in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Espanyol.
Carlo Ancelotti mentioned it was “inexplicable” that Carlos Romero was not proven a crimson card for scything down Kylian Mbappe, when the sport was delicately poised at 0-0. The Espanyol defender would go on to attain the profitable purpose 5 minutes from time.
“The occasions that occurred on this match have exceeded any margin for human error or referee interpretation,” the membership’s letter mentioned.
“What occurred on the RCDE Stadium represents the fruits of a totally discredited refereeing system, during which selections in opposition to Actual Madrid have reached a stage of manipulation and adulteration of the competitors that may not be ignored.
“The 2 most severe refereeing selections on this match have as soon as once more revealed the double requirements with which Actual Madrid is refereed.
“The brutal problem on Kylian Mbappe, from behind, on the calf and with no risk of contesting the ball, carried out within the sixtieth minute of the match by the Espanyol participant who would later find yourself scoring the profitable purpose for his workforce, deserving of quick expulsion as highlighted by the world press, ended with the choice of the referee, Alejandro Muniz Ruiz, to solely present a yellow card with out the VAR, with Javier Iglesias Villanueva as accountable, intervening to appropriate a manifestly faulty resolution, leaving unpunished an aggression that in some other competitors would have been an exemplary sanction.”
Madrid’s complaints have drawn stinging criticism from Pique, who made 616 appearances for rivals Barcelona throughout an illustrious 15-year stint on the membership, with the 38-year-old stating at an occasion at La Liga HQ that complaining is a sample of behaviour exhibited for over a century each time they lose.
“The assertion is an entire smokescreen as a result of they’ve been doing it for 120 years and after they lose they’ve to speak about one thing else, as a result of that’s what they need,” Pique mentioned.
“The referees’ dialog will at all times exist and that is what they’ve at all times finished in Madrid, turning on the ‘equipment’ when issues will not be going properly and we’re used to it.”
Barcelona supervisor Hansi Flick additionally jabbed at Madrid in his pre-Copa del Rey quarter-final media look, stating that the actions of the defending La Liga champions would by no means be replicated in Catalonia.
“That is their selection, they do it like this, it isn’t our manner. I mentioned no excuses and we’ll do it like that,” the previous Bayern Munich boss mentioned. “Each membership has some causes to say one thing. We’re people, it is regular in life, everybody makes errors. The referees have robust jobs. we now have to deal with them, it isn’t straightforward this example.
“Once I arrived I mentioned no excuses, no complaining and no blaming, I do not like that.”
