"He had lost control" - Barcelona manager Xavi hits out at referee following 1-1 draw with Espanyol
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez slammed referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz for showing too many cards during their La Liga clash against Espanyol. The Catalan derby ended in a 1-1 draw. Marcos Alonso's seventh-minute opener was canceled out by Joselu's 73rd-minute penalty.
A total of 12 yellow cards were shown by Lahoz during the game, with each team receiving six. Jordi Alba and Vinicius Souza were also sent off in a span of two minutes.
Xavi slammed Lahoz for his quality of officiating as he said after the game (h/t Barca Centre):
"Lahoz handed out pointless cards and the game got out of control."
Xavi: "Lahoz handed out pointless cards and the game got out of control."
He further added:
"At the end of the game I told Mateu that he had lost control. Do you think? He answered me…"
Xavi: "At the end of the game I told Mateu that he had lost control. Do you think? He answered me…"
Xavi also complained that Jordi Alba was not aware of his first yellow card. He said:
"Jordi Alba told me that Mateu Lahoz didn't even tell him that he had received a first yellow card."
Xavi: "Jordi Alba told me that Mateu Lahoz didn't even tell him that he had received a first yellow card."
Xavi added that referees should speak during games to humanize things.
"Referees should speak. It would humanize things."
Xavi: "Referees should speak. It would humanize things."
Xavi also spoke about Ansu Fati's performance, saying:
"I think Ansu is good. He has played because he's training very well. He has made a tremendous change in terms of defensive work. He lacked the effectiveness, but the whole team did. He's improving."
Xavi: "I think Ansu is good. He has played because he's training very well. He has made a tremendous change in terms of defensive work. He lacked the effectiveness, but the whole team did. He's improving."
Xavi's former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi recently criticized Antonio Mateu Lahoz
Antonio Mateu Lahoz was in charge of the FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash between the Netherlands and Argentina. Lahoz handed out 15 yellow cards and one red card during the game.
Messi, formerly of Barcelona, slammed the Spanish referee for his performance, saying (via AS):
"I don’t want to talk about referees because then they will sanction you. But we were scared before the game because we knew what was coming [with Mateu Lahoz], I can’t say what I think but FIFA have to look at this, [FIFA] cannot put a referee like that on this game when he is not up to the level."