FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski criticized the referees in Spain's La Liga, saying they misinterpreted many situations.
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (front R) vies with Osasuna's Aridane during the Spanish La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and CA Osasuna in Barcelona, Spain, May 2, 2023. (Photo by Joan Gosa/Xinhua)
On Sunday evening, Lewandowski led his teammates to a 2-1 victory over Osasuna, with the 35-year-old converting a penalty with five minutes to go.
"I didn't expect the Spanish league teams would take advantage of such reluctance to play football many times. In my opinion, the referees misinterpret many situations. Maybe they would like it to work differently, but they have some guidelines in advance on what to pay attention," the forward told Polish media on Monday.
"La Liga doesn't want to promote an attractive game. There are situations where you allow so many things in defense, and if I do something as an attacker, it's immediately interpreted as a foul for a yellow card," Lewandowski added.
After the first matches of the new season, the Pole was strongly criticized by Spanish media for not showing his best form.
"After the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, many things affected on my physicality and even on my confidence. Recently, I realized what I should have changed to return to my top shape. The season is long. For me the most important thing is showing my best in crucial games of the season, not in the early stage of the competition," the striker concluded.
