Oleksandr Babich: «One hundred percent - we need to react somehow!»
The head coach of Odesa \"Chornomorets\" Oleksandr Babich gave another comment regarding the match of the Ukrainian championship against \"Oleksandriya\", which the \"sailors\" finished with nine players.
— First of all, I believe that the emotions of our team were justified. However, there was a bit too much foul language. Regarding what happened on the football field in the Oleksandriya match, I think that referee Oleksandr Omelchenko provoked these actions. I reviewed the video of the first half of the match yesterday and this morning - both the television broadcast and the technical recording. I can say that at the 16th minute there was a clear foul on Bohdan Butko when he was first to the ball. Exactly two seconds after this foul, they score a goal against us. But the referee does not cancel it, and there is no signal from the VAR assistants who, for some reason, saw nothing. The second glaring episode occurred at the end of the first half-hour of the match when a clear yellow card (at least a yellow!) should have been shown to the Oleksandriya player who jumped into our captain. After this, Bohdan lost his temper and was punished. I understand everything: this is football. However, I believe that the referee broke the game. If he had calmly issued a warning to Oleksandriya's Oleksandr Belyaev and blown the whistle at the first moment, nothing like what ultimately happened would have occurred. I think it would have been a pretty interesting match, as both we and \"Oleksandriya\" were geared up for it. There would have been more real football. But...
—Is the club planning to take any actions related to the refereeing in the Oleksandriya match?
— I am currently at our club base and have not yet discussed this with anyone. After training, I will be in touch with the management. One hundred percent - we need to react somehow, because all the emotions that were unleashed in Oleksandriya had accumulated throughout the first round. After fifteen rounds played by our team in the championship to date, in at least seven goal-scoring situations everything was judged against \"Chornomorets\". This was when we conceded goals with rule violations, when fouls were committed against us, and obvious penalties were not awarded. What can be said if at least four penalties were not awarded against opponents! I emphasize: these were moments that were obvious, evident. So, it all accumulated to this point. Well, we will talk with the management of our club to ensure there is some reaction. Because this cannot continue like this.
Vyacheslav Kulchytskyi