La Liga referees are so bad – Nigeria’s Christantus open up on experience in Spain

Super Eagles-eligible midfielder, Chrisantus Uche, has opened up on his experience in the La Liga playing for Spanish side Getafe, Soccernet.ng reports.

Uche kick-started his European journey after an impressive stint with Campos Football Academy in Nigeria, joining the B team of Moralo CP who plays in Tercera Federacion.

From there, Uche joined AD Ceuta and after a year stint with the club, he joined where he is currently showing his worth netting his debut goal for the club against Athletico Bilbao.

In an interview with ESPN, Uche expressed frustration over the harsh treatment he faces on the pitch and criticised officials for failing to address it.

“In the first two or three La Liga games I have seen with my own eyes that the referees are very bad. They hit me and the referee simply told me to get up. No, it is a foul and he has to signal it. But if they hit another person, the referee simply blows the whistle and it is very painful. It is very painful. You cannot do anything and you have no power. The referee has the power to do what he wants. No, he has to stop it. It is not good,” Uche said.

The 21-year-old midfielder also expressed his distress over racial slurs, stating that he had been called derogatory names on the pitch with no intervention from match officials.

“They call me a f***ing black man and the referees do nothing,” he lamented, though it was unclear if he was referring to his time in La Liga or during his previous experiences in lower Spanish leagues.

According to reports circulating in the Nigerian media, the 21-year-old has been named in Super Eagles’ provisional squad list, although the Nigeria Football Federation is yet to release a statement to this effect.