Burnley manager Sean Dyche annoyed after Ben Gibson red card in Europa League
Burnley were beaten 3-1 by Olympiakos in the first leg of their Europa League play-off
Friday 24 August 2018 12:28, UK
Sean Dyche felt hard done by after Ben Gibson was sent off in Burnley's bruising defeat at Olympiakos in their Europa League play-off first leg.
Kostas Fortounis' opening goal was cancelled out by Chris Wood's 33rd-minute penalty, but the Greek giants regained the lead shortly after half-time through Andreas Bouchalakis' header.
Things soon got worse as Gibson was given his marching orders after handling in the box, allowing Fortounis to slot home the spot-kick that leaves Burnley needing to overturn a 3-1 deficit in next week's second leg.
"My thoughts are those brilliant fans there that have travelled over, and I feel for them," Clarets boss Dyche said.
"Because they just want to see their team play in Europe [with] 11 players. Nothing else. That wasn't the case tonight, but you live and learn.
"We've been told varying things about what can go on in these games and I think we've experienced a lot."
Asked about the importance of having a strong referee in front of a partisan crowd in Greece, Dyche told Clarets Player: "Well, I've got to be careful, as usual, what I say. But for the life of me, I don't understand why he has booked Ben Gibson [again].
"The first one maybe but the second one he has gone to block a shot and it's hit his hip, it's hit his hand. How can that be deemed deliberate handball? It's just an impossibility.
"Then he gives him the yellow card and it's probably the world record for how quickly he got it out of his pocket, and then gets Ben Gibson sent off.
"Then, [for] the whole game, we're having to hold on to make sure we preserve what it is at that time and take our away goal back."
Dyche said it was an "interesting night" and spoke of "peculiar" half-time happenings, leading the interviewer to suggest that respect was not shown on the night.
"No, it certainly wasn't," the Burnley boss said. "But, you know, we have to take it on the chin and get on with it as we do."
