Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has blasted referee Slavko Vincic after the team’s defeat to Atletico Madrid.
United lost 1-0 due to a first half goal from Renan Lodi. Anthony Elanga had been fouled in the build-up.
Vincic was quick to blow for fouls all game which played into Atletico’s hands as they looked to waste time and break up United’s attack.
These tactics were to be expected from Diego Simeone’s side to frustrate United, and Slovenian referee Vincic played into it.
Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Rangnick said he saw several ‘curious refereeing decisions’.
He also lamented the way Atletico’s players wasted time and said the four minutes of injury time given was not enough to compensate.
Rangnick remarked: “Four additional minutes was just a joke.”
United saw two players booked late on, Diogo Dalot and Nemanja Matic, and the players swarmed round the official at the final whistle.
Rangnick was also visibly frustrated with the decisions on the touchline as the game went on.
Half the story
The referee was poor but this is only half the story. We can be annoyed, but this was not Nani sending off v Real Madrid in 2013 outrage.
United ultimately have themselves to blame, having struggled to create clear cut chances.
The brutal truth is United could have played an extra 30 minutes of added time and still would probably not have scored.
Rangnick can be annoyed, but it does not excuse a poor performance from the team when they absolutely needed to produce.
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