Don't say EPL. UCL refs also kayu one.
Romanov blasts AEK & Russian ref
Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov took a swipe at Russian referee Yuri
Baskakov, saying that AEK Athens could not cope at a high level
without him.
Romanov, himself Russian-born, was talking after Hearts were
reduced to nine men as they lost 3-0 in Athens.
"AEK, on this performance, might not be able to compete at a high
level in the group stages - certainly without a referee from
Moscow," he told the BBC.
"We will be back in the Champions League if we can compete like
that."
Hearts were without several first-team regulars and had Julien
Brellier and Neil McCann red carded as they lost 5-1 on
aggregate.
"Football is supposed to be what is happening on the field of play,
not turned into a show thanks to the referee," said
Lithuanian-based businessman Romanov.
"I would stop my football investment if Hearts were ever to play in
the fashion that AEK did here against us.
"If we can fight and compete in these circumstances, imagine what
we can do when fully fit.
"The team was very sick after the Rangers game, with injuries and
illness, and had to put Jamie Mole up front on his own.
"But, playing with nine players, we gave AEK a very hard
game."
Romanov's comments appear to contradict those predicting a bleak
future for head coach Valdas Ivanauskas should Hearts fail to
qualify for the money-spinning group stages.
Ivanauskas was furious with the sending off of Brellier, who was
booked for wearing an earing then shown a second yellow card for
allegedly leading dangerously with an elbow.
"We had chances in this game and played with heart, but I don't
like to see these things from the referee," he said.
"Yes, Brellier was booked because he was wearing an earring.
"But the referee checked every player before and said they were OK
to play with tape, so why he booked him I do not know.
"And the second yellow card for Brellier was not a foul. It would
not be even possible to give this foul in a game of basketball,
which is a minimal contact sport."
Ivanauskas also claimed that McCann should not have seen red for
his tackle on Ivic.
"The game was over after 28 minutes anyway, but this was a normal
football game and McCann's tackle was simply a normal foul," added
Ivanauskas, who nevertheless admitted that AEK were the better side
over the two games.
Hearts captain Steven Pressley believes refereeing decisions cost
his side dearly as they failed to qualify for the money-spinning
group stages.
Bruno Aguiar was also sent off in the first leg at
Murrayfield.
"I don't like to go on about referees, but I feel we have been
harshly dealt," said Pressley.
"We should certainly be proud of our performance."
