Zampirini fuming over referees

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini launched an astonishing attack on referees after his side were defeated by Cagliari on Sunday.

Cagliari won their home fixture 3-1, with the opening goal scored by Alessandro Matri, who was in an offside position.

Palermo have complained about the standard of refereeing in the Serie A regularly this season and Sunday’s defeat gave Zamparini another reason to complain.

“I don’t know what else to do. We should put them all in prison,” Zamparini told Mediagol.

“We cannot understand what is happening. The offside was at least a metre today, not a few centimetres.”

“If the referee didn’t see it, then he is incompetent and should change profession, because even a child could see that was offside.”

“If he did see it, then I have to think he wielded his flag in bad faith. It is evident that this result was decided by a refereeing error and that offside goal, because until the opener Palermo were more than in the game.”

Zamparini said changes to the system were necessary, to minimise the amount of blaring mistakes made by the game’s adjudicators.

“The problem is that the refereeing system needs to change. They cannot say these are just mistakes when the errors always go against the same team,” he said.

“Our 2011 started exactly the same way as 2010 ended, with refereeing errors against us. In three games of this new year, we have had three huge and decisive errors against us.”

“I will now ask the refereeing designator for an official explanation for what is happening to Palermo. If he tells me they are simple mistakes, then I’ll accept that, but he has to say it.”

“He has to look back over all the incidents and give me an explanation. I think it is our right to ask for answers.”