Portugal stars Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias and Pepe all made their fury with referee Facundo Tello clear after their defeat to Morocco within the World Cup quarter finals.
Youssef En-Nesyri headed in after a defensive mix-up for the sport’s solely purpose, although the Selecao had been adamant they had been due a penalty when Fernandes went down within the field below the problem of Achraf Hakimi.
Portuguese gamers subsequently surrounded Tello to protest the choice earlier than a VAR test was accomplished with no additional motion. The Argentine referee was then confronted on his method by way of the tunnel at half time earlier than extra antics within the second half.
Determined requires a penalty for handball went unheard earlier than Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo introduced saves from Morocco goalkeeper Bono. On the full-time whistle, the African aspect turned the primary aspect ever from the continent to succeed in the semi finals.
“I do not know if they will give the cup to Argentina. I do not care, I will say what I believe and screw them,” Fernandes mentioned.
“It is very unusual {that a} referee from a group that whistles us remains to be within the World Cup. They’ve clearly tilted the sphere in opposition to us.”
“We knew what sort of referees we’d discover within the competitors after we entered it,” he added
“However I will not go into that, however there have been many minutes by which the sport was stopped: no less than, within the second half, there ought to have been 15 or 20 minutes of added time.
“We knew we had been going to play in opposition to greater than the Moroccan nationwide group and that we needed to determine in 90 minutes.”
Fernandes was joined in airing his disapproval of the officiating by Manchester Metropolis’s Ruben Dias, who once more pointed to the dearth of a penalty for his aspect as the primary distinction between Portugal and Morocco.
He mentioned: “He raised the choices of the sport. He did not smile at us, however the group was there, the angle too. We tried to do every part we may.
“Penalty shot? It appeared very clear to us. It ended up scoring the sport. A draw at the moment it made every part return to sq. one.”
Previous timer Pepe – certainly competing in his final worldwide event – went out with a bang, additionally insisting an Argentine official mustn’t have been allowed to referee the sport.
He mentioned: “That is stronger than me and I am going to should say it. It is unacceptable for an Argentine referee to referee our sport. The sensation and vanity of the referee on the sphere, I can wager every part I’ve that Argentina can be champions.”
