At half time in last weekend’s match between Girona and Almeria, David Lopez claimed, in an interview, that referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias had shown rude and insulting behaviour towards him during the first period.
“It’s difficult to play like this – he disrespects you, he insults you. You have to try to forget and focus on the game, but it complicates things. I’m talking about the referee – we players in La Liga already know about him.”
However, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) stated that there was no proof of this, and urged Girona and Lopez to rectify their statements, which the defender did after Friday night’s victory over Celta Vigo, as per Marca.
“Looking at it with more perspective, with the emotions that I had at the end of the first half, I admit that my remarks were not the most appropriate. If anyone was offended at that moment, I am sorry.”
Lopez, Girona and the CTA will now hope that a line can be drawn under the matter, with everyone moving forward as one.
