FIFA defends semifinal referee after France, Deschamps criticism
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- FIFA's director of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, defended referee Iván Barton after France coach Didier Deschamps questioned his ability to officiate the World Cup semifinal between France and Spain.
- Deschamps expressed doubts about Barton's performance, particularly regarding a penalty awarded to Spain, but Collina affirmed that FIFA referees are world-class and capable of handling such matches.
- Spain won the semifinal 2-0 with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal (penalty) and Pedro Porro, securing their place in the World Cup final against either Argentina or England.
- France, aiming for a third consecutive final appearance, will now compete in the third-place match after being held scoreless and criticized for technical mistakes and tactical issues by Deschamps and Mbappé.
- Collina has previously defended World Cup referees amid criticism, emphasizing the high standard of officiating at the tournament.
