FC Utrecht feels disadvantaged after the defeat against Feyenoord (2-0) in the final of the play-offs for European football. In the eyes of Utrecht, the arbitration, led by referee Dennis Higler, failed to award Leroy Fer a red card in the first half after a serious foul on Sander van de Streek. In addition, Utrecht claimed to be entitled to a penalty when Tyrell Malacia kicked Adrián Dalmau’s leg in an attempt to kick the ball away.
Fer made a hard foul on Van de Streek in the final phase of the first half, by knocking the midfielder to the ground from behind. Video referee Martin van de Kerkhof, however, agreed with Higler that a yellow card was enough. “I expect an arbitrator at the final of the play-offs who can make these kinds of choices right,” sighs Mimoun Mahi after the game. “Then you also have a VAR. If you still can’t make a good choice, I don’t understand at all.”
The VAR was definitely making a cup of tea or something. Why isn’t this red? Completely ridiculous. No intention of playing ball, just to hit his leg. Ridiculous. Dark red. #feyutr #var pic.twitter.com/r4NZOOE5Ie
– Sieko Bos (@siekobos) May 23, 2021
“If you see how Sander van de Streek gets a saw from behind from Leroy Fer at knee height. If a VAR does not dare to intervene, then it is better to leave that VAR at home. Then I do not see the point of it. A blind man. can even see that this is a dark red card, “said Mahi, who sees a link between the arbitral decisions and the struggles over finding a match date. “I don’t think it’s all a coincidence. That’s my opinion. You see that we are ultimately disadvantaged in that. We had to do it ourselves on the field, but we were also disadvantaged in that respect. That is very unfortunate.”
René Hake, the trainer of Utrecht, also thinks that Fer should have been sent away with a red card. “I don’t understand why no card is given for that other than the yellow one. I asked Higler, but he said, ‘I judged it differently,'” Hake is quoted as saying. The Telegraph. The coach is also of the opinion that Utrecht deserved a penalty after the break, with a score of 1-0. “I saw the images again and Adrian just got a kick. We also received enough penalties. Then it is very special, that there is now no attention at all.”