Martinez Hits Back at Media Over Refereeing Questions
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez accused reporters of 'generating controversy' ahead of Argentina's World Cup quarter-final against Switzerland. The 28-year-old centre-back was asked about the standard of refereeing at the tournament, which has come under scrutiny after several controversial decisions.
'No, absolutely nothing,' Martinez told reporters when asked if he had any comment on the refereeing, as quoted by Reuters. 'I think they are doing an excellent job. That's something for you [the media], who sometimes generate the controversies.'
Argentina's World Cup Journey Under Scrutiny
Argentina, the reigning champions, began their World Cup campaign by easily topping their group but have found the knockout stages trickier, narrowly beating Cape Verde and Egypt. They have also faced accusations from fans that FIFA referees are rigging the tournament in their favour.
While such claims are baseless, many observers noted that Lionel Messi was fortunate not to be sent off for a bad foul in the opening match against Algeria, where he scored a hat-trick. In the Egypt match, the Pharaohs had a goal controversially disallowed by VAR for a foul in the build-up, leading to complaints.
Egypt's Complaint and Martinez's Focus
Mostafa Zico, who scored the disallowed goal, said post-match: 'It is clear that this tournament has been fixed.' The Egyptian Football Association has filed a complaint to FIFA. Martinez, however, remains unfazed, finishing his response with: 'We concern ourselves with giving our best on the pitch and nothing more,' before walking off.
Martinez has started all but one of Argentina's five games, scoring a goal and providing an assist in the 3-2 win over Cape Verde. His performance against Egypt was criticized, but he looks forward to the quarter-final challenge.
Respecting the Opponent
'As always, what identifies this team is respecting the opponent,' Martinez said. 'If Switzerland are at this stage, it's because they have a lot of merit. We watched their match against Colombia and they always try to play. They are very strong physically and also in set-pieces. I think it will be a great spectacle because both teams try to play.'
