Galatasaray submit UEFA complaint over refereeing in Sporting CP defeat | OneFootball

Galatasaray have lodged an official complaint with UEFA after their 3-1 Champions League opening matchday loss to Sporting CP in Lisbon.

According to Turkish-Football.com, the club have compiled a dossier focused on Norwegian referee Espen Eskås, alleging errors that affected the contest at the Estádio José Alvalade.

The first flashpoint came in the 22nd minute, when Sergi Altimira was booked for a reckless challenge on Aleksey Batrakov. Galatasaray maintain it amounted to serious foul play and should have brought a straight red.

In the 54th minute Eskås awarded Sporting a penalty, which the visitors fiercely disputed on the pitch. VAR official Dennis Higler chose not to intervene.

Head coach Okan Buruk said the referee had directly influenced the result and that such decisions should not occur at this level. He argued the missed dismissal and the penalty that went against his side changed the game.

Galatasaray are seeking a formal review of Eskås and the VAR team’s conduct to help ensure consistent standards across European competition.

Source: Turkish-Football.com

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