The former member of the Referee Commission at the BFS Detelin Bayaltsaliev commented to BLITZ the controversial moments of the eternal derby Levski - CSKA. "The Blues" won 1:0 yesterday after a goal by Christian Macoon in the 86th minute.
Bayaltsaliev, who is a former assistant referee and a long-time instructor of football referees in Bulgaria, explained that CSKA's claims for a penalty are well-founded. The expert expressed his firm opinion that Dragomir Draganov should have pointed to the penalty spot - for Matej Markovic's foul against Aaron Iseka in the 44th minute.
- Mr. Bayaltsaliev, how will you comment on the situation in the 44th minute when CSKA claimed a penalty for a foul on Matei Markovic against Aaron Iseka?
- There was definitely a penalty for CSKA. Markovic doesn't play the ball and brings Iseka down. I tear it down, I watched the situation several times. This is how he feels that there is no way Iseka will not fall. Had he not been knocked down, the CSKA forward could have reached the ball before Tsunami cleared it off the goal line.
- Why didn't Dragomir Draganov review the situation on the VAR monitor?
- It is strange that VAR did not intervene. Perhaps they think that once a shot is taken on goal and then the foul occurs, no penalty is awarded. But Iseka, if he had not been knocked down by Markovic, could have chased the ball and put it in Levski's goal. With such an entry, the attacker may instinctively fall on his own, but here there is contact, the goalkeeper fouls him. For me, it's a must.
With this silence, however, no one can say what they were thinking in the VAR. They cannot explain anything other than what I am telling you right now. Maybe they will say that the blow has already been thrown and then Markovic knocks Iseka down. But the ball was kicked by the CSKA player, it was not a shot. The very fact that Tsunami, who was lagging behind, was able to reach her and clear her is enough to interpret that Iseka could have caught up with her and brought her back if he hadn't been knocked to the ground.