Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini has slammed the decision to send off defender Remo Freuler and says it ‘ruined the game’ as the Italian side lost 1-0 against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The hosts were reduced to 10 men after just 17 minutes when referee Tobias Stieler judged the Atalanta defender to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity on Ferland Mendy, even though the Real man’s touch had sent him wide and there was a covering defender.
Atalanta held out well but were finally beaten by a right-footed strike from Mendy in the 86th minute and Gasperini was livid with the referee for his overly officious decision.
‘It would’ve been a very different game with 11 against 11. People talk about absentees, fine, but they still have immense quality in the squad,’ Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.
‘I wanted a more open game, we had started well with some good moves. It was meant to be a totally different spirit in the match.
‘We defended well and almost brought home the 0-0, but it would’ve certainly been more entertaining with 11 against 11.
‘The game was ruined. Last season, after absolute chaos, the handball rule was sorted out. Now we have the temptation to remove any form of contact in football and that is suicide for the sport.
‘I just got banned for saying something in Serie A, if I say something now then UEFA will ban me for a month. But this is football suicide. We cannot have referees who never played the game and don’t know the difference between a challenge and a foul.
‘If they can’t tell the difference, then they ought to go and get a different job, frankly. They should get people who played football to referee instead.
‘Referees also have video replays now, they have everything needed to judge, and yet even with replays they get it wrong.
‘You wait so long for this event and then it gets ruined. We might’ve lost anyway, I am not complaining about the result, but we at least could’ve played our game.
‘We’re satisfied, though, and we are going to Madrid to play our game.’
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane said of the sending off: ‘I don’t know if it was excessive, it’s up to the referee to make decisions. We did not play well, but the result is what counts.’
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