Arsène Wenger criticises referee from Inter-Barça: "I am against using slow motion"

FC Barcelona's defeat last night against Inter Milan featured a controversial refereeing by Polish official Szymon Marciniak, who angered the players and coach Hansi Flick, complaining that "all 50/50 decisions went their way".

Arsène Wenger, former Arsenal coach and currently Director of Global Football Development at FIFA, spoke on beIN Sports and also complained about the referee and VAR, and specifically, one action: the penalty against Barça at the end of the first half, resulting in 2-0 for Inter, after a tackle from Pau Cubarsí over Lautaro Martínez. Initially, Marciniak did not see a penalty, but he was later called by VAR because Cubarsí touches Lautaro's leg first, and later pushing the ball.

"I am highly against these kind of penalties and I am highly against using the slow motion. At normal pace this is a great tackle, he's first on the ball. Look what Lautaro is doing. He leans into him, he looks for the penalty, he knows he cannot score because he feels the defender there" (via The Independent).

Wenger believes the referee did not make the right decision. "Cubarsí is first to the ball and that's what counts for me. The rest is done by Lautaro. It doesn't matter if there's contact, it's who plays the ball and who wins the ball first".