It is this Wednesday that the Pablo Longoria case must be analyzed by Disciplinary Commission of the Professional Football League (LFP). The president of Olympique de Marseille will know his possible sanction in the late afternoon or early evening. And if he will be judged on the form, in particular on the use of the word “corruption” to evoke arbitration in France, he will also find it difficult to defend himself on the merits.
With his anger, Pablo Longoria wanted to denounce an arbitration which he deems very unfavorable to his club since the start of the season. This feeling does not only apply to the match in Auxerre (3-0), far from it. But concerning the latter, the Marseille president was officially contradicted by the FFF arbitration department.
Longoria and the Marseillais were wrong on both points, estimates the management of the arbitration
After each day of Ligue 1, a small debrief is published concerning certain situations encountered during the weekend. And the FFF arbitration management took responsibility by analyzing the two situations that had caused Marseillais' anger in Auxerre.
First case, the non-ssted penalty on Quentin Merlin at the end of the first period. The main referee had not whistled in fault, the Var had not estimated that he had made a manifest error. And that was the right decision, according to the management of arbitration:
“The images show that the defender does not commit any fault by imprudence, even if he does not touch the ball. The contact of his left arm on the upper body of the Marseille striker cannot justify a penalty decision to him. In addition, the defender's right foot arises on the ground outside the trajectory of the Marseilles player, with the latter's right foot which hit the defender's heel. Therefore, the penalty was not expected and the right decision was made in the field. »»
Second situation, the red card inflicted on Derek Cornelius. After a successful intervention, the Marseille defender hit the hip of an opponent with his knee, which earned him a second yellow card from Mr. Stinat. Again, the verdict was the right one according to the bosses of French arbitration. Official analasis: “Even if the Marseille player n ° 13 first plays the ball, his gesture is made without control because his left knee comes directly hit the lower back of his opponent, with speed and intensity. The images thus clearly show that the fault is committed in an inconsiderate manner, that is to say without taking into account the dangerous character or the consequences of his act for his adversary. In accordance with the laws of the game, the player at fault had to receive a warning. »»
