Referee asked to be banned for refereeing Russia match

Kryvbas have formally requested UEFA to change Turkish referee Arda Kardesler for next Thursday's match against Real Betis, corresponding to the first leg of the play-off for access to the league phase in the Conference League, because he directed last March a friendly in Moscow between Russia and Serbia.

The reason explained by the Ukrainian club in their social networks is that the Turkish referee directed this match and they consider it "inadmissible to involve this referee in the work of the Ukrainian football club's match".

According to the Ukrainian team, the fact that a referee was involved in a match "with the participation of Russians, including directly in Russia, discredits our entire club in the eyes of all Kryvbas fans".

Among these fans there are "many servicemen" who protect their country "from Russian attacks, as well as in front of the whole of Ukraine, which suffers from Russian military aggression".