Al Wasl Coach Diego Maradona Blasts Standard of Officiating in UAE Again

Al Wasl coach Diego Maradona has once again blasted the standard of refereeing in UAE claiming they are against his side despite its 1-0 Emirates Cup win over Al Ain on Saturday.

The Argentine was furious with referee Abdullah Al Zaabi's officiating of the game, which was won by Al Wasl's Uruguayan striker Juan Manuel Olivera's super strike on 59 minutes.

“When there was a ball between Al Wasl and Al Ain after somebody had fallen, the ball always went directly to Al Ain,” Maradona told reporters.

Only 10 days ago, Maradona launched a similar rant at the match officials following his side's 1-0 loss to Al Jazira in the Pro-League.

“I want to send a message to the referees – I want to help and support them to improve their standards – but we, the players, staff, administration and fans at Al Wasl will fight against them and overcome their decisions to win whatever happens if they are against us, in order to make our goals a reality," he said.

The Argentine also fumed at the lack of fair play on display, claiming the referees need to clamp down on such behavior.

“I hope the referees improve their standards and become more focussed. I don’t want to complain, I genuinely want to help them raise their game,” he said.

Al Ain coach Cosmin Olaroiu, however, disagreed with Maradona's feelings on the refereeing.

"I really don’t think the referee was on either Al Ain or Al Wasl’s side. His decisions ultimately didn’t affect the result," he said.