The primary source of frustration for many was the failure of the officiating team, led by Simon Marciniak, to review the footage at the monitor. Moreno questioned why the technology designed to catch such errors failed to intervene during the defending champions’ opening victory.
“We don’t even have to see the still, if you see the live video, it felt like a bad challenge to begin with,” Moreno added. “Then you see the replay, this is a bad challenge. Somebody has to take a look at this. Why is Simon Marciniak, the referee, not being called over to see this? It should have been a red card for Lionel Messi. As much as I love Lionel Messi, that was a clumsy challenge, a bad challenge. And you’re raking the back of somebody’s calf all the way up from the knee down to his ankle should have been a red card.”
Sharing Moreno’s frustration, Onuoha said: “I think it feels like the moment was missed… When the player was on the floor, you could see Messi had a level of concern because he knew that he potentially has just done something there which could get him in trouble. I understand why the referees missed it. But for the VAR to look at that and say, ‘No, that’s all fine, there’s nothing more to it’, I personally think that is worthy of a red card.”
