Ranieri completely enraged: ‘Referee waiting to give Porto victory’ | OneFootball

Claudio Ranieri has never been so angry as when blasting referee Tobias Stieler in Roma’s 1-1 draw with FC Porto. ‘He was waiting for something to happen to give them victory. How can UEFA assign him?’

The Giallorossi had taken a deserved lead on the stroke of half-time when Zeki Celik finished off the well-worked move from a tricky angle.

They seemed to be in control until a double whammy of bad news, when the Francisco Moura effort was deflected off Tommaso Baldanzi to wrongfoot Mile Svilar, then moments later Bryan Cristante was sent off for a second yellow card.

Nonetheless, Roma held on for what ultimately is a positive away result in the first leg of the Europa League play-off, preparing for the decider at the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday February 20.

Ranieri was visibly furious at the final whistle, rushing onto the pitch to stop his players getting into any more trouble with the referee, but he revealed even more concerns with the officiating team.

“We asked for a substitution, the assistant referee knew there was going to be a substitution,” on the Roma corner when the Porto goalkeeper hit it long to set up the equaliser.

“I thought it was a great game of football, we came here to win, we played really well and I am happy with the performance from these lads.”

Ranieri demands UEFA explanation for Stieler

BOCHUM, GERMANY – APRIL 26: Referee Tobias Stieler is seenduring the Bundesliga match between VfL Bochum 1848 and TSG Hoffenheim at Vonovia Ruhrstadion on April 26, 2024 in Bochum, Germany. (Photo by Leon Kuegeler/Getty Images)

Ranieri then turned to the camera, sending a message to UEFA refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti slamming German referee Tobias Stieler.

“What I cannot stand for is how it is possible that Mr Rosetti, who the whole world knows is an upstanding individual, thoroughly honest, send to Oporto a referee who in 22 games he officiated the away teams managed only nine draws? All the others were home victories,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“You are upstanding, but do you know this? It’s a fiery atmosphere, the crowd blows and he moves in their direction, and you assign him to this fixture? I don’t understand why.”

Stieler handed out eight yellow cards to Roma players, including a red plus a dismissal from the touchline for a member of Ranieri’s staff, compared to just three bookings for the Porto players.

“He was going around promising cards to some, giving them to others. In my view, he was waiting for something to happen inside the penalty area so he could give them the victory,” continued the coach.

“It was clear. This is why the lads were irritable, because you cannot do something like that.”

Did Ranieri perceive the referee was predisposed towards Porto?

“Did I perceive he was predisposed? I had warned the players, do not protest ever! Because this is how he officiates. It is the referee who does his job, he is convinced that he did it well, but eight yellow cards for us, a red… Some were fair, don’t get me wrong, but you cannot go around irritating players like this from the get-go.”

When he rushed onto the field after the final whistle, was he trying to stop the players getting into trouble by protesting with the referee?

“I also didn’t want them to even salute him. He did not deserve a salute,” replied Ranieri. “Seeing something like this on an international pitch… It’s done now, we move on.”

The veteran continued his complaints and aimed them at the players in modern football too, noting that Manu Kone was booked for a perfectly good sliding tackle.

“I hate it when I see players scream and clutch their faces as if they’ve been hit. I say, use VAR against them too and penalise those who simulate contact, otherwise we can not play football anymore. They get a knock to the stomach, then scream and hold their faces. This is no longer football!

“In conclusion, the lads had a great performance, I am very happy, and then it went like this. Never mind.”