The shock OM-Monacocounting the shock of the 13th day of Ligue 1, promises to be intense. But the Monegasques are already worried about the presence of Jeremy Pignard to the VAR, which had already been at the heart of heated controversies.
OM-Monaco: Jérémie Pignard at the VAR, the Monegasques worried
The clash between Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco this Sunday evening at the Vélodrome promises to be explosive. The two teams, separated by three small points in the standings, are engaged in a fierce battle for the podium. In the event of a home victory, OM would overtake their evening opponent. However, even before the kick-off of the OM-Monaco match, a controversy poisoned the atmosphere.
Indeed, the appointment of Jérémie Pignard to the VAR has caused concern on the Monegasque side. The 37-year-old referee officiated during the match against Nice, a meeting which left a bitter taste for the ASM players and staff. A penalty not called and a controversial second yellow were then hotly contested.
Thiago Scuro, the sporting director of AS Monaco, did not hide his concern. “If you look at the statistics, this referee tends to punish us harshly. We have already had problems with him in the past,” he said. These statements highlight the tensions that may exist between the clubs and the arbitration body.
The Monegasques fear that history will repeat itself during this OM-Monaco clash and that the refereeing will distort the result of this meeting. This tense context therefore adds an additional dimension to this summit shock. Fans hope that the refereeing decisions will be fair and impartial, to allow their team to compete on equal terms.
