At the Racing Club de Strasbourg, we have hardly accustomed to criticizing refereeing. Under the Marc Keller era, the rule was above all not to make waves. But this Sunday in Toulouse, the actors of the Strasbourg game made an exception to this rule, sharply criticizing the arbitration of Jérémy Stinat.
Logically led 2 to 0 from the 55th minute, Racing returned to equality thanks to Lebo Mothiba (his first goal with Racing in Ligue 1 for almost 3 years, since December 7, 2019 and an achievement already against TFC) and Kevin Gameiro (who had missed a penalty, before scoring in two stages).
What quite annoyed the people of Strasbourg was that the referee Jérémy Stinat did not award them a penalty at the very end of the match. Maxime Le Marchand touches the ball in the penalty area, before a Toulouse defender Anthony Rouault hits him in the calf.
The same referee whistled an almost identical penalty against Racing
Alerted by his video assistants, the referee went to watch the video, but after procrastinating, Jérémy Stinat felt that the contact was not worth a whistle in favor of Racing. The same referee had however awarded a penalty, for an almost identical situation, against Racing this season in stoppage time Montpellier (even if the fault of Jeanricner Bellegarde on Valère Germain was all the same more flagrant).
Julien Stéphan denounces “a lack of courage”
“We should have had a penalty which was refused to us, I don’t know why, I think for lack of courage, the Strasbourg coach got carried away Julien Stephan. The referee told us: “I can’t whistle a penalty like that. The White touches the ball. The pictures show that white didn’t touch the ball at all. This isn’t the first time this has happened to us. We haven’t said much so far. I think we may have even been too nice. But at some point, you have to stop. Enough is enough ! It has penalized us several times.
That’s many points gone since the start of the season on contentious decisions, which are very contrary to us. I think Strasbourg deserves a little more respect than that. You have to have the courage to whistle, even in the 93rd minute away, even if the opposing team is down to ten. You have to give us the penalty when you deserve to have a penalty.
Max touches the ball first, there is contact in the calf. It’s a penalty in the first minute, in the tenth, in the fifteenth or in the 93rd. There is a lot of anger about this decision, a lot, especially when it accumulates.
If I have to be sanctioned for the good of the club, it does not matter. When we’re too nice, too polite, when we don’t say anything, that’s what happens.”
“They are starting to hit us on the brain”
Strasbourg captain Dimitri Liénard also went on a rant about refereeing. “We can’t continue under these conditions, otherwise we’ll have to change championships. All the players are fed up, they’re starting to hit us on the brain. We want to accept things, but we also have to they question themselves. We lost two points, at the end. If there is a penalty, there is a penalty. After a while, you get fed up, stop.”
“A scandal” for the Merchant
The main interested party, Maxime Le MarchandTalk about “scandal”. “I believe every day that there is a penalty, plague the Strasbourg defender. The pictures speak for themselves. I find myself with a crutch. I take the ball and it hits me in the calf. Incomprehensible. Even the Toulouse goalkeeper was preparing for the penalty. It’s been a lot since the start of the season, we’re a little fed up. You have to know how to say things when you are right. It’s a scandal, that’s for sure.”
The strong outings of Strasbourg against the referee should not hide the fact that Racing was once again struggling during the first hour of play. Goalkeeper Matz Sels made several decisive saves. And the Strasbourg residents also benefited from a very favorable game on their second goal.
Danish TFC defender Rasmus Nicolaisen got tangled up in his own penalty area. Wanting to put the ball away from the head towards his goalkeeper, he touched the ball with his hand, causing a penalty. And in addition, he was expelled on this action, receiving a second yellow card.