Liverpool target Dejan Lovren blasts World Cup referee after Brazil penalty as Croatia star says 'I am angry, I want to cry!'
- Dejan Lovren has blasted referee Yuichi Nishimura for his refereeing display
- Nishimura awarded Brazil a penalty for Lovren's foul on Fred in Croatia's Group A match against the hosts
- Lovren questioned Nishimura's appointment due to his lack of English
- Vedran Corluka echoed Lovren's sentiments sarcastically stating Brazil should be given the World Cup if referees continue 'embarrassing' decisions
- Croatia lost 3-1 to Brazil in the World Cup opening game on Thursday
- Neymar double and Oscar strike cancel out Marcelo's own goal
Dejan Lovren, the Croatian player at the centre of the penalty storm that overshadowed the opening game here in Sao Paulo, has declared that ‘they might as well give Brazil the World Cup’ now.
Stunned by Yuichi Nishimura’s decision to award a penalty against him for what the Japanese referee thought was a foul on Fred, Southampton defender Lovren echoed his coach, Niko Kovac, in tearing into the official.
Asked if he felt the referee had favoured the hosts, Lovren - who is a reported target for Liverpool this summer - said: ‘Maybe yes, maybe no.
Fuming: Dejan Lovren (left) has blasted Brazil should be given the World Cup following their opening win
Controversial: Lovren (centre) gave away a penalty for a foul on Fred (bottom) during their Group A match
Poor display: Lovren (left) has criticised referee Yuichi Nishimura (top) for his refereeing display
‘But if it is like this, then we can give the World Cup directly to Brazil.
‘It is not just difficult for me to take, but for everyone who watched this game. I think it was two billion people. I think it is a shame. A big shame for this mistake. I cannot agree with this.’
He continued: ‘Of course I am angry. I want to cry now but what can you do? If you saw the game you saw everything so I don't need to explain.
‘I was asking the referee how can you do this to us? And then it was a shame. He didn't know what to say. The problem is that the referee doesn't speak English.
‘It is a shame that he cannot explain to me or to anyone else in English. How can any referee be in the World Cup for that?’
Lovren was supported by his central defensive partner, Vedran Corluka.
‘I think it is embarrassing,’ he said. ‘I think if this continues then no one should play against Brazil. We should just give them the World Cup and everyone can go home.’
Unhappy: Vedran Corluka (right) felt Nishimura gave every 50/50 decision in Brazil's favour on Thursday
He too was asked if he thought the referee favoured the hosts. ‘Everyone saw that, not just Croatian players,’ said Corluka. ‘Every 50/50 decision went to Brazilian players and I think Neymar elbowed Luca (Modric). After that he gives the penalty. We scored a goal, he disallowed a goal. It was quite embarrassing. Because it was the opening of the World Cup and you expect something more.
‘He was keen to give the penalty, it happens, it is over now. After that he wanted to give something to us, it was quite funny. I don't think he should be allowed to referee another game.
‘The players are disappointed. But the coach said we need to think about the second game. I congratulate Brazil but they didn't deserve to win today.
Language: Lovren (centre) and Corluka have both questioned Nishimura's inability to speak English
‘I don't blame them but I have never seen a referee in a World Cup that doesn't speak English. It is quite, I don't know how to say it, amazing. He was trying to speak to the players in Japanese. It is ridiculous.
‘He was speaking Japanese but no one could understand him because we don't have Japanese players.’
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Tommyw, Tokyo, Japan, 7 hours ago
"¿I don't blame them but I have never seen a referee in a World Cup that doesn't speak English." Rule of thumb: Referees are NOT required to explain to players about decisions they made. It'd be much wise of them to stop whining and adjust to the international rules if winning the worldcup is what they want to do. Brazil was wiser, more focused, knew better how to handle the situation that they weren't familiar with.