Igor Cherevchenko: Refs failed to handle the game
Lokomotiv’s manager Igor Cherevchenko summarized the 1:1 draw with Zenit during the Premier League’s Gameweek 29, and gave his take on the refereeing.
- Are you having any problems in the team, and what can you say about the season on the whole?
- I and the other coaches continue with our job as usual. No problem. About the tournament: I should say, I am impressed with Rostov’s surprise top ranking. CSKA and Zenit always go after the title, aiming for the Champions League spots. We could have been in the running, too, if our hopes were not blighted by a certain individual when we played against Spartak. No names from me, but in that game the man was clad in other colours. His gaffe determined the outcome. I hate to judge the refereeing but I am really exasperated by now.
- In the final minutes a brawl broke out on the pitch. Why, in your opinion?
- It was a tetchy game - played on the edge throughout. Frankly speaking, the blame lies with the ref crew who failed to handle it. The penalty awarded against us, is something akin to Football Oddities.
- Did you think of substituting Miranchuk at the end?
- We were in the middle of doing just that. We thought of bringing on Skuletic before Zenit would take their last set-piece. So the four minutes of added time stretched the game to almost 100 minutes. End of the night looked sooner like a hockey game gone into overtime till someone scores. As for Miranchuk, he probably deserved a yellow card.
