SURABAYA – Persebaya Surabaya coach Bernardo Tavares expressed profound dissatisfaction with several referee decisions following his team’s 1-2 defeat to Madura United in Week 28 of the BRI Super League 2025/2026. Speaking at a press conference at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya on Friday night (17/4), Tavares launched a strong protest, pinpointing two crucial moments that he believes significantly altered the game’s outcome.
Foremost among Tavares’ complaints was a contentious incident involving a suspected foul in the opponent’s penalty area that went unpunished. “Especially the foul in the opponent’s penalty area that was not given, as well as the process leading to Madura United’s second goal,” Tavares stated, underscoring his belief that the incident, which he implied involved striker Bruno Paraiba, should have resulted in a penalty and could have dramatically changed the course of the match.
Adding to his frustration, the Persebaya tactician also questioned the absence of intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. “I don’t understand why VAR didn’t show that,” he remarked, highlighting a perceived oversight that further fueled his disappointment regarding the crucial penalty decision.
Tavares’ second major point of contention revolved around the build-up to Madura United’s second goal. He alleged that an opposing player entered the field of play without the referee’s explicit permission during a moment when Persebaya was in possession of the ball. “In that situation, a player came from outside without us seeing any permission from the referee, then took the ball and scored,” Tavares explained, describing the highly irregular sequence of events.
He further emphasized that, according to established football regulations, a substitute player is strictly prohibited from entering the field before receiving an official signal from the match officials. Tavares firmly believes that this alleged breach of protocol was a critical factor directly influencing the final score of the match. “Situations like this should not happen when we are in possession of the ball,” he asserted, stressing the unfair advantage he felt it created.
Despite his visible anger and strong protests, Tavares ultimately chose to accept the match result. He confirmed that he would not be filing an official report regarding the contentious incidents. “What’s the point of reporting it? The match is already over,” he commented, indicating a desire to move past the controversy. Instead, Bernardo Tavares affirmed that his team would now focus on thorough evaluation and preparation for their upcoming fixtures. “Now we have to focus on the next match and try to be better,” he concluded, shifting attention towards future performance and improvement. (antara/mcr12/jpnn)
Summary
Persebaya Surabaya coach Bernardo Tavares expressed profound dissatisfaction with referee decisions following his team’s 1-2 defeat to Madura United in Week 28. Tavares protested a suspected foul in the opponent’s penalty area that was not given, questioning the absence of VAR intervention. He also raised concerns about Madura United’s second goal, alleging an opposing player entered the field without permission to take the ball and score.
Tavares argued that this entry without referee permission was a critical breach of protocol that influenced the final score. Despite his strong protests and anger, he accepted the match result and confirmed that he would not file an official report. Instead, Persebaya will now focus on evaluating their performance and preparing for upcoming fixtures.