Kevin Muscat slams MRP and Graham Arnold for influencing Barbarouses ban

Kevin Muscat slams MRP and Graham Arnold for influencing Barbarouses ban

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Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat has revealed his disappointment with FFA’s independent Match Review Panel after the club decided not to appeal Kosta Barbarouses’ two match ban.

The suspended Barbarouses received the suspension for a studs up challenge on Sydney FC’s Milos Ninkovic in last week’s 1-1 draw.

Victory have an extremely busy month on the horizon, juggling continental and domestic competition and Muscat was blunt about the reason why the club didn’t appeal.

“Staggering, in the end we decided not to appeal simply because I don’t think there’s any point, which is sad,” he said.

“I think that Kosta has come under a little bit of a question mark here. His integrity has been questioned.”

“The referee spoke to him, he seen the tackle and to be careful of future tackles.”

“Now we have the situation where I assume that the MRP can act because Kris says he doesn’t see the incident.”

Victory feel like they have been subject to contentious officiating throughout the season.

Incidents away to Perth Glory and in the Melbourne Derby left Muscat fuming and the Victory boss could not restrain himself from highlighting these once again.

“If no one has seen the incident, we have got to question where they are looking. Because we are expected to accept the rub of the green when the ball goes over the line when no-one sees it,” he said.

“We’re expected to get the rub of the green when in hindsight we get a note saying that Fahid was sent off incorrectly.

“We’re expected to accept the rub of the green when Sorensen said he should’ve been sent off for a handball and on this occasion it’s gone against us.”

Last week after the Big Blue, Sydney coach Graham Arnold was convinced Barbarouses should have been sent off for his controversial tackle.

Those post-match comments had a decisive impact in persuading the A-League to review the tackle and suspend the forward, according to Muscat.

“No doubt in my mind it did affect it,” he said.

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