Referees treat foreign players differently, says Aguero

LONDON: Manchester City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero has accused English referees of bias against foreign players in Premier League matches.

Aguero, who scored his first goal of the season to equalise against Fulham in City’s 2-1 victory over the London side on Saturday, said home referees treated foreign players differently and were more likely to ignore them on penalty appeals.

He also said foreign players were more likely to be punished for penalties that should not be given against them.

His compatriots Pablo Zabaleta and Carlos Tevez both had penalty appeals turned down at Craven Cottage, and asked by reporters after the match if foreign players had it tougher in the League than English players, he said: “Yes, always. It happens everywhere.

“Here in England, there are almost as many foreign players as English players and it’s not right that some have a privilege that others don’t.

“There is a little bit of privilege with players who come from that country, but that is normal. We just play our game, and the referee’s job is to know who is tricking him and who is not.”

Saturday’s goal was the first for Aguero since his injury-time winner against Queens Park Rangers in the final match of last season clinched the title for Roberto Mancini’s men.

And Aguero’s views on Saturday’s events echoed those of Mancini, who was unhappy Fulham were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute when Zabaleta was harshly adjudged to have tripped Fulham’s John Arne Riise. – Reuters