VIK-TORY AS DYCHE GETS TOP REFEREE
HEAD TO HEAD: Viktor Kassai and Dyche SEAN DYCHE suspects Burnley have been given an experienced referee tonight because of last week’s huge controversy in Athens.
Viktor Kassai will officiate against Olympiacos, the Hungarian who refereed the 2011 Champions League Final as well as at Euro 2012 and the 2010 World Cup.
Kassai is a big upgrade on the less experienced Slavko Vincic, who Dyche felt was wrong to send off Ben Gibson before giving Olympiacos a penalty in the first leg.
Dyche thinks UEFA have noted Vincic’s poor display, who he claimed had been influenced by Olympiacos mobbing him at half-time to protest about his decisions.
“Maybe they looked at the reports from the last game and thought, ‘Maybe not as good as we had hoped’ – I don’t know,” said the Clarets boss.
“They are fine lines for a manager. It’s a hard one because you have to question the referee appropriately at the right times while also leaving them alone to do their jobs.
“But if the referee is that good – I don’t know because I don’t look at their backgrounds – I just hope he delivers.” Dyche stands by his claims about Olympiacos’ behaviour, despite their insistence they did nothing wrong, but does not want the referee to become a distraction.
He has told his players they must focus on delivering a performance as they attempt to overturn a 3-1 deficit in this Europa League final qualifying round.
“I tried to speak in facts
Hart; Bardsley, Mee, Long, Taylor; Lennon, Cork, Westwood, Hendrick; Barnes, Wood. Gianniotis; Elabdellaoui, Roderick, Vukovic, Tsimikas; Bouchalakis, Camara; Christodoupoulos, Fortounis, Podence; Guerrero.
Viktor Kassai (Hun). BT Sport 2, 7:45pm.