"I'm going to say what I think and screw them" - Bruno Fernandes questions level of referees for Portugal game after FIFA World Cup exit
Portugal star Bruno Fernandes slammed referee Facundo Tello after his country's exit from the quarter-final stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Fernando Satos' team were defeated by a scoreline of 1-0 by Morocco on Saturday, 10 December.
Cristiano Ronaldo started the game from the bench for his country, with hat-trick hero of the Round of 16 clash, Goncalo Ramos, leading the attack.
Youssef En-Nesyri gave the Atlas Lions the lead in the 42nd minute of the game. He scored from a brilliant header after outjumping Ruben Dias and Diogo Costa inside the Portuguese penalty area.
Ronaldo came on as a 51st minute substitute. But Morocco were nowhere to go. Despite several players suffering from fatigue and injury issues, Walid Regragui's side clung to a narrow lead. They became the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup.
Bruno Fernandes was not happy to see an Argentine referee taking charge of the game. He opined that as Argentina are still alive in the FIFA World Cup, officials from the South American country shouldn't have been in charge.
Bruno Fernandes: "I don't know if they're going to give the cup to Argentina. I don't care, I'm going to say what I think and screw them."
"It's very strange that a referee from a team that whistles us it's still in the Cup. They've clearly tilted the field against us." https://t.co/YZksZU1quz
Fernandes also added that referees who officiate UEFA Champions League games and other matches of that caliber should be in charge. Here's what the Manchester United midfielder said after the game (via Express):
"I don't know if they're going to give the cup to Argentina. I don't care, I'm going to say what I think and screw them.
"It's very strange that a referee from a team that whistles us it's still in the World Cup. They've clearly tilted the field against us."
"Our referees officiate the Champions League, so they have the quality and level to be here. They [Argentine referees] don’t referee in the Champions League, they are not used to this type of game, they don’t have the pace for this."
Bruno Fernandes claimed Portugal were denied clear penalty during FIFA World Cup quarter-final
Bruno Fernandes claimed he was brought down inside the penalty area in the first half and Portugal were denied a clear penalty. Speaking to the media after the FIFA World Cup quarter-final, he said:
"In the first half there is a clear penalty on me. Never in my life will I let myself fall over when I am alone in front of the goalkeeper and can shoot in a situation like that. The VAR checked and gave nothing. There were many times when the game was stopped and in the second half there should have been at least 15 or 20 minutes of added time."
Bruno Fernandes’ average World Cup rating: 8.35
— 8.4 vs Ghana
— 8.8 vs Uruguay
— 8.1 vs Switzerland
— 8.1 vs Morocco
Portugal’s best player by a mile ❤️🇵🇹 https://t.co/iTS8C858lS