“They can suspend me if they want…”, Knockaert very critical of Frappart’s arbitration

The Valenciennes striker expressed his doubts about the penalty awarded to OL, winner of Valenciennes on Tuesday evening (3-0) in the semi-final of the Coupe de France.

The Coupe de France semi-final won by Lyon on Tuesday evening against Valenciennes (3-0) was marked by controversial refereeing decisions. Author of a double, OL captain Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring in the 51st minute with a penalty awarded for a foul committed on himself by Joffrey Cuffaut. The referee Stéphanie Frappart first went to check on the video screen the validity of her decision, before confirming it, despite the protests of the Valenciennes residents.

“I haven’t seen the images again but it seems very light to me, explained striker Anthony Knockaert, on the verge of tears, at the microphone of beIN Sports. I do the same thing a minute before, I throw myself at the defender, she doesn’t whistle. In the surface it whistles. Because it’s a big club? I don’t know.” The 32-year-old left-hander invited French arbitration to “ask questions”. He added, aware of the seriousness of his words: “They can just suspend me if they want, I wouldn’t care.”

For Sage, refereeing is “human”

This defeat is the end of a dream for VAFC, last in the Ligue 2 standings.We had a first half that matched everything except a bottom team in Ligue 2affirms Knockaert. I’m proud of the players, proud of everyone. It’s hard. I really thought we were going to do it. It’s hard to accept, when you’re last in Ligue 2, to see a scenario like that turn around, with all the efforts we’ve made…»

Read alsoLyon-Valenciennes: Lacazette takes the light, Linguet takes the water… The tops/flops

For his part, Lyon coach Pierre Sage brushed aside the debate: “For me, there is never a debate on arbitration. The people of Valenciennes will tell you that the penalty is not valid, while the people of Lyon will say that it is. Arbitration is something human and the decision is the one that was taken“, he commented without further detail.

«If Lacazette had deceived the referee and the VAR assistant, that would mean that the penalty was not valid and if the penalty had not been awarded I would have had the same position“, he added.

Lyon will try to win a sixth Coupe de France, on May 25, against Paris Saint-Germain or Rennes who face each other on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes.