Nicolas Pepe and Bruno Fernandes are at risk of FIFA ban after slamming FIFA referee’s decisions following World Cup exit.
Morocco made history at the Al Thumama stadium when they held off Portugal to become the first African team in the World Cup semifinals.
En-Nesyri made it happened after he headed home a cross to give the Atlas Lions the lead from the first half.
Fernando Santos utilized all possible tactical maneuvers to chisel the game, but the Moroccans held on to make history.
Meanwhile, there were seething tensions in the game, with some Portugal players later criticizing the center referee for how he handled the match.
Portugal duo Pepe and Bruno Fernandes were among the front-line agitators who alleged poor and substandard officiating by the center-referee.
They criticized FIFA’s decision to appoint Argentine referee Facundo Tello for the crucial World Cup tie when Argentina is still in the tournament.
Speaking after the game, Pepe referenced the aftermath of Argentina’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over Holland as a reason why he feels the odds are being tipped in the South American nation’s favor.
Meanwhile, some Argentine players were also complaining of poor officiating in their quarterfinal against the Netherlands
Lionel Messi, Emi Martinez, and various other members of the Argentina squad criticized referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz for his poor performance in the game.
The Argentine goalkeeper, Martinez, also accused Lahoz of wanting Holland to advance despite their eventual penalties victory.
In the same vain, Portugal defender Pepe hinted that after the complaints by the Argentines in their quarterfinal match against the Dutch, bringing an Argentine referee to officiate the Morocco game is unacceptable
“‘After what happened yesterday [Friday], with Messi speaking. All of Argentina speaking, and an Argentine referee comes to whistle”, Pepe said on Saturday.
People added that there is an aberration after what he has seen, as organizers are planning to hand over the World Cup title to Argentina.
“After what I have seen now, it is clear they are planning to hand over the title to Argentina,” he said.
Fernandes echoed his team-mate’s sentiments, saying the referee’s decision not to award him a penalty was particularly incredulous.
Bruno Fernandes said it’s very strange to have a referee who still has their national team in the competition, and “we don’t have a Portuguese referee”.
He added that Portuguese referees have the quality to take up World Cup matches and have been used by UEFA in Champions League matches.
‘Ours referee the Champions League, so they have the quality and level to be here’, Fernandes said. ‘They don’t referee the Champions League, they are not used to this type of game, and they don’t have the pace for this.’
Bruno Fernandez complained vigorously about the clear penalty that the referee should have awarded to him but refused.
‘They clearly leaned the field’, he added. ‘In the first half there was a clear penalty on me. I am isolated, and never in my life will I let myself fall when I am alone in front of the goalkeeper, and I can shoot on goal in a situation like that.’
Pepe’s reason for criticizing the appointment of the Argentine referee was that a referee from the land of Messi should not be taking charge of a game involving Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were possibly set for a last World Cup campaign with their respective national teams.
And the goat debate was likely set to be settled at this World Cup as the two players near the twilight of their football careers.
However, as things stand, Ronaldo is set to lose the goat debate after Portugal crashed out of the tournament, with Argentina progressing to the semifinals.
Pepe’s comments can be understood in the context of the goat debate. However, he and his teammate Bruno Fernandes are facing the risk of FIFA bans following their criticism against the referee.
