Royal Antwerp FC coach Marvin Compper launched a fierce attack on the red card shown to Bahmed Deuff in the defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise. Compper labelled referee Jan Boterberg's decision in the 69th minute, with Antwerp trailing 0-1, a joke that influenced the match.
"For me this is a joke. And I have my reasons for that," Compper reacted after the game. He explained that Deuff was merely shielding the ball when Union's Besfort Zeneli arrived from the side. "It is a disgrace that the match is influenced by such a decision," the coach added. He stated the card killed all momentum and any chance of a comeback, forcing his team to play the final twenty minutes with ten men.
Context
The loss to Union was Antwerp's fourth consecutive defeat, leaving them with zero points from the last twelve available. The 0-2 defeat on September 20 cemented the club's position in the lower reaches of the Jupiler Pro League. Antwerp currently sit 13th with seven points from seven games, twelve points behind leaders Union. The team has scored eleven goals and conceded fifteen this season. Their recent form stands in stark contrast to the club's performances in previous matches, where they dropped points and failed to find the net. Union defender Sylla acknowledged the red card made a difference. He said Antwerp initially played as a compact block and held firm, but things began to slip after the dismissal. He offered no opinion on the second yellow card itself.
Compper, who said he would not be too strict with his words at first, became fairly fiery in his criticism. He felt the decision was "too much off-football" and had nothing to do with the sport. The manager stated his team now has time to work on things to show a different face later. He stressed that the squad must focus on the fundamentals and reverse the recent results, a process that begins on the training ground.
The next opportunity comes on October 10, when Antwerp travel to face KVC Westerlo, who currently sit eighth. The full fixtures list shows a challenging run of upcoming games. The standings confirm the difficult position the club finds itself in after a string of poor results. The coming weeks will be key to find a way back up the table.
The original report is at Sporza
