Criticism of Refereeing in Aris-Omonia Match: 'A Real Striptease'

Strong criticism has been leveled against Cypriot refereeing following the derby between Aris and Omonia. According to columnist Giorgos Chatzianthonis, the refereeing of Konstantinos Fellas, whom he describes as a protégé of Antonio Damato, was inadequate.

Specifically, he refers to two incidents in the first half: a penalty not awarded in the 23rd minute and a goal disallowed in stoppage time, both in favor of Omonia. Despite the correction of the errors by VAR, the columnist argues that the referee's weakness in these pivotal phases is evident.

The importance of a referee's personality is also emphasized, as is the concern about what would have happened if someone less capable had been in the VAR position. The columnist concludes that the refereeing problem is real.