Al Ahly boss Marcel Koller has revealed he is not only annoyed but also concerned about the referee for the second leg of their CAF Champions League final against Wydad Casablanca.
The Egyptians hold a narrow advantage over the reigning champions after claiming a 2-1 win over the visitors in Cairo on Sunday thanks to goals by Percy Tau and Kahraba, while an 86th-minute strike by Saifeddine Bouhra ensured an away goal for Wydad.
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CAF has since announced that Ethiopian referee Bamlak Tessema will take charge of the return leg of the final on Sunday, 11 June, an announcement Al Ahly's manager has revealed annoys him.
Koller has explained that he is concerned about the fact that Tessema is set to retire immediately after the game and how that situation could influence his decision-making on the day.
"Appointing Bamlak Tessema for the return match against Wydad is very annoying and concerning, especially since it is his last match before retiring," the Swiss tactician said, according to KingFut.
"This referee will not have any commitments or responsibilities after the end of the game, but we hope that he surprises us with fair officiating."
Koller was left visibly upset with Libyan referee Moataz Ibrahim in the first leg despite his side winning the game, with the Red Devils head coach questioning a number of decisions made by the official.
"I am extremely angry about the refereeing decisions. I have watched all the replays after the game. Firstly, we had a clear penalty after our player Hussein El-Shahat was fouled inside the penalty area," he said after the game on Sunday.
"I don't understand how the referee didn't see this incident and didn't consult the video assistant referee. Is it normal for them not to see it? Is it normal for the duo not to see it?
"This deliberate handball drove me crazy. We had two players in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper from the halfway line, and the player deliberately handled the ball with his hand."In any continent, in any league, and on any other planet, the player would have been sent off, but the referee only showed a yellow card, and the VAR remained silent!"
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