Cyprus Times

Nerves over Referee, Emergency Meeting of Mendilibar – Why Andre Luiz Was Dropped

Published March 9, 2026, 09:07
Nerves over Referee, Emergency Meeting of Mendilibar – Why Andre Luiz Was Dropped

There is tension and dissatisfaction at Olympiacos towards referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez, believing that his refereeing was in favor of PAOK in the recent match. Although no major mistake was identified, the Piraeus team protested certain decisions that were not made, such as fouls outside the PAOK penalty area and a yellow card not given to Geremeyev. The Olympiacos players expressed their disappointment in the locker room, self-criticizing their performance in certain periods of the match. At the same time, the decision of coach Mendilibar to leave the two January transfers, Clayton and Andre Luiz, out of the squad surprised many, due to the limit on foreign players. The absence of Andre Luiz raised more questions, as the team struggled to supply Ayoub El Kaabi in attack. After the end of the match, Mendilibar held an extensive meeting with his assistants, analyzing the team's mistakes and weaknesses. This meeting, according to information, was intense and lasted longer than usual, indicating the technical leadership's concern about the team's performance and the need for immediate improvement.