Brian Kerr had some choice words for UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin for comments he made ahead of Italy's crucial EURO 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on Monday night.
Going into the game in Leverkusen (the ongoing war forces Ukraine to play their home games at neutral venues), the Italians knew a draw would be enough to usurp Ukraine in the group table, with England already having secured top of the group.
Defending European champions Italy have failed to qualify for the last two FIFA World Cups, so they have form for missing out on the big tournaments.
Ahead of the game, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin caused controversy with comments he made to LaPresse in Italy:
Italy must qualify for Euro 2024, otherwise it will be a disaster. The Italian national team is too important, but I think it will beat Ukraine.
Understandably, the comments did not go down well in the Ukrainian camp and, after a controversial late call went against them in Monday's costly draw with Italy, they earned support from Irish pundit Brian Kerr.
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"It's not the first time" - Brian Kerr criticises Ceferin's questionable Italy comments
Ukraine had good reason to feel aggrieved ahead of kick-off in Leverkusen, after the president of their confederation insinuated he would prefer that their opponents qualify for next summer's European Championships.
Manager Serhiy Rebrov shared his discontent with the remarks ahead of kick-off, and there was further controversy to come in the dying stages of the game.
With Italy holding out for the stalemate midway through second-half injury time, Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk appeared to be taken down by Bryan Cristante in the penalty area. Neither referee Jesus Gil Manzano nor the VAR team deemed it worthy of a penalty.
"I think it's a penalty!"
Keith Treacy on Ukraine's late late shout for a penalty in Leverkusen.#UKRITA | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/5xS9OD9miF— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) November 20, 2023
The crucial qualifier would ultimately end 0-0, securing Italy's place at EURO 2024.
Cristante's escape from punishment, however, was the source of much discussion post-match, and Brian Kerr linked the penalty non-call back to Ceferin's pre-match comments.
"It's not the first time he's said a very stupid thing. For a man with so much power in the game, he should be very very careful in his words."
Brian Kerr on Aleksander Čeferin's pre-match comments on Italy ahead of tonight's game with Ukraine.#UKRITA | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/LeUceEBOFA— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) November 20, 2023
Kerr slated the UEFA president for his "stupid" comments, saying that he should have been more careful with his words.
The former Ireland manager would in fact go a step further and suggest that his remarks could have influenced the match referee into giving the crucial late call in Italy's favour:
It's not the first time he's said a very stupid thing. The man has so much power in the game, he should be very, very careful in his words.
We've often speculated before about why there were so many Slovenian referees getting big matches in Europe, when their own league would be on a par with the League of Ireland. We don't have many League of Ireland referees getting Champions League semi-finals!
Maybe, in the moment, that flashed through the referee's head. We don't know. But it was the wrong thing to say. He should be getting criticism for it.
The referee made his decision and stuck with his decision, VAR didn't go strongly in his ear...overall in the match, Italy deserved to win.
Ceferin has caused controversy in the past with his policies and remarks surrounding the UEFA Champions League, and he is unlikely to have won himself any new supporters among the Ukrainian football public this week.
Italy now progress from Group C alongside England, with the first set of qualifying teams for EURO 2024 starting to take shape.
Ukraine, on the other hand, will enter the play-offs through the League B route - a position they earned through their Nations League group including Ireland last year.
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