Liverpool star hits out at refs
Published on: Saturday, November 13, 2004
PARIS: Liverpool's French striker Djibril Cisse, who broke his leg during a Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers last month, said he was surprised by the referee's attitude after his injury.The France international, who joined Liverpool from AJ Auxerre in the off-season, said he accepted rough tackling from English defenders."Here, it doesn't matter if you're (Thierry) Henry, Cisse or whoever, defenders always tackle the same.
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"But referees... An injury like mine, for instance, in France the referee would have waited a little and made a decision afterwards."In this case, nothing happened. The ball went out and he said 'play'," Cisse told sports daily L'Equipe on Friday.The 23-year-old striker said the press had been his other unpleasant surprise in England."I don't think I'll get used to it. About my injury, one paper said my career was over, another that I had seven fractures. Everything and more," he said.
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Cisse, out for the rest of the season, said he was especially disappointed as he had the impression he was settling in."I was beginning to play good matches, to make good moves. I was feeling well in the game. And then the injury came," he said.
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But Cisse said his fracture was not as painful as his absence from Euro 2004 because he had been sent off in an under-21 international against Portugal."The injury hurts less than the red card. To miss Euro 2004 over such a thing... There were worse gestures than mine that received a more lenient punishment," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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