Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil says referee Benoit Bastien was "not neutral" in their 4-1 Europa League loss to Manchester United.
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Article continues below
Article continues below
- Man United beat Real Sociedad 4-1
- Sociedad boss slams "not neutral call"
- "Did not deserve a referee like this"
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Spanish side crashed out of the Europa League at the last 16 stage on Thursday after a comprehensive defeat at Old Trafford. While head coach Alguacil admitted United were the better team, he said neither side "deserved" a referee such as Bastien – who did not let them "compete". The official awarded United three penalties, the last of which was overturned by VAR and the visitors got one in the first half.
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WHAT IMANOL ALGUACIL SAID
He said after the game: “It’s cruel, you don’t even know how to explain it without making excuses. United were better, but I would have liked to compete on a one-to-one basis. The referee didn’t want to whistle the only penalty that was and he whistled the ones that weren’t. We didn’t deserve a referee like that, neither us nor Manchester United.
“There was not a neutral refereeing performance. I feel very sorry for the fans, there was no possible match – not only because of those decisions, from the 14th minute it has been continuous, it is a shame. There is nothing to blame on the players, the refereeing has not let us compete. We started the game well, I don’t know what would have happened.”
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The victory has kept United's season on life support as they are now into the last eight of the Europa League, amid a backdrop of not being in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and languishing in 14th in the Premier League. And captain Bruno Fernandes came up trumps again as he bagged a hat-trick for the Red Devils.
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WHAT NEXT?
United will hope to build on this victory when they travel to relegation-threatened Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday night.
