A Portuguese referee in Ligue 1, Fonseca does not like this choice

Scheduled for this Sunday at 3 p.m., the assembly between Lille and Angers will probably be refereed by a Portuguese referee. At a press convention, Paulo Fonseca made it clear that he didn’t approve of this initiative by the FFF.

Let the gamers of Lille and Angers be warned, it is not going to be simple to debate this Ligue 1 match with the referee, not in French in any case. And for good cause, the person in black designated to steer this assembly is Portuguese. The so-called Miguel Nogueira will take management of his very first Ligue 1 match.

This characteristic is a part of an change program between the French Soccer Federation (FFF) and the Portuguese Soccer Federation (FPF). This isn’t the primary time {that a} Portuguese referee has traveled to France. As reminded The Voice of the Norththe same operation had already been carried out in 2021 throughout a conflict between Racing Membership de Lens and Bordeaux (3-2).

“I admit that I don’t like this case”

The principles of soccer being the identical in every single place, the nationality of the referee isn’t a priori more likely to affect the course of the sport. For Paulo Fonseca, the coach of LOSC, the FFF would nonetheless have finished higher to abstain. In a press convention, the previous coach of AS Roma didn’t disguise a sure annoyance.

“I admit that I don’t like this case. I feel it’s very tough for a referee who comes from Portugal. It may be a great scenario for one more recreation, however for our recreation, I don’t like this case. I’m Portuguese, we’ve got numerous Portuguese gamers, I feel it’s not good”. defined the 49-year-old technician.

Paulo Fonseca, Lille coach, is basically stylish.

To a query on the appointment of a Portuguese arbitrator pr #LOSCSCO, he solutions you frankly: “I’m Portuguese, we’ve got numerous Portuguese gamers, I feel it’s not good. »

— Mohamed TOUBACHE-TER (@MohamedTERParis) November 12, 2022

The Mastiffs have 4 gamers from Portugal of their squad (André Gomes, Jose Fonte, Tiago Djalo and Angel Gomes).