Bruno, Pepe blames referee for Portugal’s World Cup exit: ‘Clearly they tipped the pitch against us’

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Morocco beat Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Morocco are the first African nation to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup, and Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal. The closely contested match saw tempers flare and growing frustrations reach a boiling point in post-match commentary from Portuguese players.

Pepe, the 39-year-old Portuguese centre-back, immediately took the official to task in the post-match comments. The defender blamed Argentine referee Facundo Tello and Leonel Messi’s earlier complaints.

“We conceded a goal that we didn’t expect but I have to say it’s bigger than me and I’m going to have to say it. It’s unacceptable for an Argentinian referee to referee our game. After what happened happened yesterday, with Messi speaking, the whole of Argentina speaking and the referee comes here to whistle.

“It is unacceptable that an Argentinian referee is responsible for the game, after what I saw today, they can give Argentina the title right now.”

Portugal’s World Cup is now over but Pepe wasn’t the only player to criticize the refereeing on his exit. His teammate Bruno Fernandes echoed the sentiments and referenced the absence of Portuguese officials while hinting that Argentina are the tournament favourites.

“I don’t know if they are going to give the trophy to Argentina,” Fernandes said. “I don’t care, I’ll say what I think and screw them. It’s very weird that a referee officiates us from a country still in competition. Clearly, they swung the pitch against us.”

The Manchester United player was active in the game but failed to break through on goal for Portugal. Fernandes pleaded for a foul in the box at the end of the first half, but no penalty was awarded by the refereeing team. Portugal outshot Morocco 12-9 but were tied with the North African side on total attempts on target with three in the quarter-finals.

Pepe and Bruno’s concern for Argentina stems from a game the day before when Messi’s side knocked out the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Friday to face Croatia in the semi-finals. The quarter-final between the two teams was a turbulent affair which led to penalties. And while Argentina are set to make an appearance in the World Cup final, Messi also made post-match comments about referee Mateu Lahoz.

“This game shouldn’t have ended the way it did. I don’t want to talk about the referee because they punish you. But people saw what happened.

“We were scared before the game because we knew how he was and I think FIFA needs to review that. You can’t put a referee like him for these matches,” Messi said.

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