After Derby: Partizan Levels Serious Accusations Against Federation

The Belgrade Derby between Red Star and Partizan is considered one of the most explosive matches in football. The 180th duel between the two clubs (2-1 for Red Star) made even more headlines. Both teams commemorated a convicted war criminal before the match >>>

After the match, Partizan expressed outrage over the referee's performance and issued a public statement.

Accusations Regarding Appointments

"Football Club Partizan has, on principle and in the spirit of a major club, long refrained from public reactions, so that these would not be interpreted as pressure on referees or as an excuse for a defeat or lost points," the statement begins.

However, the last derby cannot remain without a reaction. "Since certain clubs publicly dictate who is acceptable to them, who is not, and who should officiate their matches, and since the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) not only tolerates such practices but apparently even supports them, Football Club Partizan will insist that Nenad Minaković no longer officiate FK Partizan matches in the future. The same applies to first assistant Nikola Borović and VAR referee Momčilo Marković," the club stated, immediately leveling accusations against the football association and making a clear demand.

The club then accused the official of lacking objectivity: "This season alone has shown that there are referees who make mistakes because they don't know any better or can't do better. This is not the case for Nenad Minaković and his assistants from yesterday's match. It is obvious that he made biased and deliberate decisions."

The Penalty as a Point of Contention

Partizan wrote of a "scandalous penalty after VAR intervention, even though the footage clearly showed that there was no contact to justify such a decision".

Furthermore, the statement mentioned differing standards in assessing fouls. "Particularly incomprehensible is the role of assistant referee Nikola Borović, who was in a position to recognize obvious situations, yet did not raise his flag, even though he should have. If an assistant referee does not react even when an offense occurs directly before his eyes, the question arises as to what his role actually entails," the club also stated, targeting an assistant.

The VAR also received a rebuke: "The VAR found a reason to intervene for the penalty but found no reason to intervene for the brutal tackling incident where a Partizan player was injured."

Partizan Wants Foreign Referees for Top Matches

Trust in the association and the Serbian refereeing system is no longer present. Therefore, the Belgrade club has a clear demand for future derbies: "Football Club Partizan demands that the biggest matches in Serbia be officiated by foreign referees."

The club concluded by describing the incidents in the match against Red Star as "a mockery of sporting fairness."