Barry Robson Criticizes Refereeing 'Quality' in European Match as Aberdeen Manager Holds Back on Elbow Incident Concerns

 

Barry Robson Criticizes Refereeing 'Quality' in European Match as Aberdeen Manager Holds Back on Elbow Incident Concerns

Barry Robson, who appeared visibly frustrated, believes that Aberdeen missed an opportunity to secure a victory against HJK in the Europa Conference League. He also raised concerns about the quality of officiating, particularly regarding Giorgos Kanellopoulos' apparent elbow incident involving Duk. Despite Bojan Miovski's equalizer negating Bojan Radulovic's surprising opener at Pittodrie, Robson felt that his team had ample chances to win but ultimately settled for a draw.

Robson stated, "I thought we dominated significant portions of the game. HJK is a formidable side, and we managed 17 shots. However, our lack of clinical finishing in the final third may have cost us the victory tonight. We created the opportunities and had the possession, but we could have been more precise in front of the goal."

He continued, "Our crosses into the box needed better execution, and Duk had a one-on-one chance. We could have easily scored three or four goals tonight, and the team is frustrated because they know they should have won. In European competitions, these fine details can make all the difference, and the players are aware of that."

Regarding the controversial incident involving an alleged elbow on Duk, Robson refrained from going into specific details but expressed his surprise that no action was taken against Kanellopoulos. He remarked, "I was massively surprised. I have to be cautious in my comments, but considering the caliber of players and the level of the game, officiating should meet the required standard. I felt that the standard of officiating fell short tonight. Several decisions did not meet the expected level at this stage of competition."

Robson also touched upon the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) and said, "I'm no longer surprised by VAR. It's difficult for me to comment on referees. There were some decisions that left me frustrated and bewildered. At this level, all stakeholders, including referees, need to be at their best, and we need the correct decisions to perform and win matches. In some instances, it held us back."

Aberdeen's next challenge is against PAOK at home, with the Greek team currently leading the group with maximum points after a surprising victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.