Idman.biz
The match between "Qarabag" and "Newcastle" in the Champions League play-off stage was remembered not only for the crushing 1:6 defeat of the Azerbaijani team, but also for controversial refereeing decisions.
"Qarabag" fans were particularly dissatisfied with the first penalty episode awarded to the home team: the ball hit Mateus Silva's supporting hand, which was already on the lawn at that moment.
How justified was the decision of the Norwegian head referee Espen Eskas?
Idman.Biz addressed this question to Tahir Suleymanov, a former FIFA referee and international-level judge.
"First of all, I must say that the qualification of this Norwegian referee was generally not up to the level of the Champions League play-off stage. Look at how many episodes in the game he interpreted only in favor of the English team! The issue here is not even bias - his level is really undesirable.
A clear example of this is the first penalty episode. Eskas did not immediately record the foul, he made the decision only after VAR intervention. In fact, the video assistants awarded the 11-meter penalty, while the head referee, although at the center of events, simply agreed with them.
Even if this penalty had not been awarded, the overall picture would not have changed: "Newcastle" would still have won by a large score - 5:1 instead of 6:1. But the interpretation of the episode raises questions. There are enough inconsistencies in the international rules, but I am sure that no serious expert would call this penalty a hundred percent," said Tahir Suleymanov.
