Magyar Nemzet wrote that after the PSG-Monaco Champions League playoff match, the Romanian referee of Hungarian origin, István Kovács, received extremely harsh criticism. The referee was criticized for sending off Mamadou Coulibaly, the visitors’ player, after receiving two yellow cards within five minutes of Monaco’s 1-0 lead in the second half (especially the second yellow card is the subject of discussion). After that, the defending champion from Paris scored twice within ten minutes, turning the game around and essentially deciding the fate of the duel.
Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP
István Kovács in the crossfire of critics
After the match, the head coach of Monaco, Sebastien Pocognoli, sharply criticized István Kovács at the press conference, accusing the referee of double standards. “I think Coulibaly’s dismissal was not justified” said the Monaco coach. “I think it was too harsh a decision, especially as he got both yellows within five minutes. If the referee gave Coulibaly a yellow, he should have done the same for Lucas Hernández. Coulibaly is a young player, Hernández is a world champion, yet he is told to calm down. It was a double standard. It happens too often with us, Monaco.”
The press also found Kovács after the meeting, the French L’Équipe expert and former international referee Saïd Ennjimi sided with István Kovács, unlike the Romanian newspapers, where the referee was no longer spared.
