UEFA chief Zvonimir Boban has slammed Arsene Wenger – and conspiracy theorists who claim England’s run to the final is a fix.
Former Arsenal boss Wenger, now Fifa’s head of global football development, criticised the decision to award – and then not overturn – the extra-time penalty from which Harry Kane scored to win the semi-final against Denmark.
Former Croatia and AC Milan legend Boban, Uefa’s head of football, said of Wenger: “As a Fifa director, he commented on a penalty in the Uefa European Championship: it was inelegant and inconceivable.
“It was a dubious decision, it cannot be denied, but not a scandal as the professional howlers say.
“It’s a shame that a shadow has fallen on such a moment and that some are questioning a European Championship in which the refereeing has been fantastic.”
Boban has even less time for those in Spain and Italy who claim Uefa have given England an easy ride as a thank you for the British Government’s crucial support against the plans for a breakaway European Super League.
Boban told Gazzetta dello Sport: “It’s absurd, dishonest, incorrect.
“It makes me laugh. It’s ridiculous to think that UEFA favours a team.
“Conspiracy theories have always existed, but those who live football know it will be a clean final.”
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Wenger, 71, felt that the contact on Sterling was too minimal to be a penalty.
He said on beIN Sports: “No penalty.
“And in a moment like that I believe that the VAR… I don’t understand why they don’t ask the referee to have a look at it and have a clear (look).
“In a moment like that it’s important that the referee is absolutely convinced it’s a penalty.
“It was not clear enough to say ‘yes it is’.
“At least he should have had a look on the screen, I don’t know why the VAR didn’t ask him to go.”
Host Richard Keys then asked if VAR had ‘let Denmark down’.
To which Wenger replied: “I think that VAR has let the referee down.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
