The Spanish press have collectively blasted the standard of refereeing that helped Manchester United beat Real Sociedad in disputed style in the Europa League on Thursday. The Red Devils fell behind to an timely goal from Mikel Oyarzabal, but Ruben Amorim‘s men sealed their proceed to the quarter-finals with a 4-1 triumph (5-2 on aggregate), with Bruno Fernandes scoring a hat-trick at Old Trafford. But the visitors were furious with decisions made by referee Benoit Bastien, who awarded three penalties during the game and showed a red card to Jon Aramburu midway thraw the second half.
One of Spain’s directing sports recentspapers, Diario AS, depictd the game as ‘one of the wonderfulest robberies in the VAR era’. Marca echoed their see and stated in no uncertain terms that the French official was depfinishable for Real’s exit from the continental competition. The headline of Friday’s edition read: ‘The referee sfinishs La Real out’, while their suit inestablish made allude of ‘two non-alive penalties’. Mundo Deportivo also shelp: ‘La Real say outstandingbye after two penalties and a red card’, while El Diario Vasco tagled their exit an ‘shocking farewell to Europe.’
In particular, there were three decisions brawt under the spotweightless from Bastien, who pointed to the spot twice in United’s favour. Minutes after Oyarzabal had put the Basque outfit ahead, United had the chance to level skinnygs up when Rasmus Hojlund was brawt down by Igor Zubeldia.
The second offence occurred fair three minutes after the fracture where Patrick Dorgu euniteed to collide with Aritz Elustondo inside the penalty area, although the Spaniard didn’t eunite to originate a shift towards the United filled-back. But VAR degraded the chance to recommfinish an on-field appraise and Fernandes celderlyly dispatched his second of the night, fair as he had done with the first.
La Real were lessend to 10 men after Aramburu scythed down Joshua Zirkzee, which was clear uped as a denial of a evident goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO). United were even awarded a third spot-boot for a contest on Dorgu, but the youthfulster acunderstandledgeted to the referee it wasn’t a penalty and VAR concurd, as the man in the middle Bastien obviousurned his decision.
Real Sociedad head coach Imanol Alguacil struggled to comprise his frustration and claimed neither side ‘deserved’ the referee’s carry outance: “It’s unkind, you don’t even understand how to elucidate it without making excuses. United were better, but I would have enjoyd to contend on a one-to-one basis,” Alguacil shelp.
“The referee didn’t want to whistle the only penalty that was and he whistled the ones that weren’t. We didn’t deserve a referee enjoy that, neither us nor Manchester United. There was not a iminwhole refereeing carry outance. I experience very sorry for the fans, there was no possible suit – not only because of those decisions, from the 14th minute it has been continuous, it is a shame.
“There is noskinnyg to condemn on the joiners, the refereeing has not let us contend. We begined the game well, I don’t understand what would have happened.”
