Following Paris Saint-Germain’s resounding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Saturday night’s Champions League final, some fans are urging UEFA to look into the referee. With a brace from Desire Doue plus goals from Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu, Luis Enrique’s team easily won their first major European championship.
There was no denying PSG’s supremacy. The greatest margin of victory ever witnessed in a Champions League final was achieved as a result of their unrelenting high-pressing, all-gas-no-brakes strategy, which overpowered Inter. The contest lacked any drama because of the lopsided performance. However, there’s always something to complain about in football.
After barely losing to Napoli for the Serie A title a week earlier, Inter Milan’s sadness was evident as they suffered their second defeat in a major European final in three years under Simone Inzaghi. However, the attention of neutral supporters moved to the refereeing, with many pointing out a number of dubious decisions that they believed compromised the integrity of the game.
Champions League Final Refereeing Stirs Controversy
Some supporters were left scratching their heads over a number of issues
Nowadays, fairness in football extends beyond the field, particularly for those whose financial interests are at stake. In the Champions League final on Saturday night, a number of bettors have expressed their annoyance at what they perceive to be referee Istvan Kovacs’ negligent or inconsistent refereeing, which they feel compromised the match’s credibility.
Even though there were several goals and replacements during the game, the main cause of disagreement was that there was no injury time at all. One X user commented, “We wanted six, so investigate the ref for no stoppage time.” Another said:
There is no halt time. One additional corner was needed by a few of us. However, with six sub breaks and three goals in the half, the referee cannot defend that. ought to be disqualified since the scoreline alone cannot be used to alter the regulations.
The referee on the field determines the length of stoppage time, taking into account a number of factors. According to the Football Association, time should be added for the following reasons: Substitutions; Assessment of injured players; Removal of injured players; Time-wasting Disciplinary sanctions being issued; Any medical stoppages permitted by the rules, such as those for a drinks break; Any delays added for VAR checks. In light of this, a third user wrote: “Another clown ref, no injury time. I know it’s five nil but loads of subs. Rules are rules.” A fourth user angrily commented: “So annoyed with that ref not playing any added time, had a bet on 6-0 PSG.” A fifth user came to the conclusion that “There were 10 subs in the second half, and they didn’t play a minute of extra time. That is completely out of order and against the rules. Inter should demand a replay.”
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