Published on 12:00 AM, October 24, 2016

Valencia director blasts referee

Valencia's Tunisian defender Aymen Abdennour (L) tackles Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez during the Spanish league football match Valencia CF vs FC Barcelona at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on October 22, 2016. Photo: AFP

Valencia's sporting director Jesús García Pitarch was scathing in his criticism of referee Undiano Mallenco following Barcelona's 3-2 win at the Mestalla on Saturday.

Pitarch pointed to three controversial incidents which went the way of Valencia's opponents and, the director feels, affected the result of the game.

 “There were three clear incidents within half an hour: Messi's first goal with Suarez offside, the second yellow offence of Busquets and Rodrigo's [unawarded] penalty. Undiano has to take a look at himself. Spanish football can't have such a disgraceful referee.

“He'll will be embarrassed when he looks back at this game,” fumed Pitarch after the match.