Valerien Ismael claims that Blackburn Rovers broke his silence and did not agree to cancel the game after the collision with Ipswich Town was abandoned due to flooding
Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael claims he did not agree to postpone the match against Ipswichtown over the weekend after the championship clash was abandoned in the 80th minute.
The 49-year-old fought back on claims that both managers agreed to postpone the game following heavy rain at Ewood Park. Thanks to a penalty from Todd Cantwell, the Rovers were 1-0 at the time of the abandonment. Ipswich went to 10 after Jacob Greaves was shown a red card in the second half.
An EFL statement following the game claimed that both Kieran McKenna and Ismael agreed to postpone the conflict, saying, “The decision has been agreed with both managers. The board will consider what actions will be taken as a result of the waiver in line with EFL regulations.”
read more: EFL is in the Blackburn Rovers vs Ipswich Town Replay Verdict – “What else can I do?”read more: The championship game was abandoned just minutes before full time when the players left the pitch
However, the Rovers boss has since challenged the claim. “We had to accept the decision because it was a chaotic after the game,” he told Roverstv. “The referee abandons the game and we go from there and wait for a decision. We made our points about the situation and prepared our case.
“We were pushing the team. We were on our front legs. I think it’s fair so I hope we get rewarded. From my side, I saw a report from the EFL at the end of the game.
“I never agreed to stop the game. I had no choice because the referee insisted that they had to abandon the game.
“He said the pitch couldn’t play, he’s sorry, but he explained that the EFL would make a decision. As the decision was made, I didn’t have to agree to anything. That’s a clear point from our standpoint – we didn’t agree.”
“When you’re 1-0, your opponents will be reduced to 10 and you’ll have momentum,” added Ismael. “On the other hand, they can score goals, but what is right for Ipswich is also right for us, and there is a chance that they will score goals.
“We faced the situation against Norwich when we were pushing down to 10. We felt we could score, but finally we admitted our second goal and lost the game.
“For us, we have the right to want three points out of the situation because I think it is the most fair thing when the other person is 10. 11v 11, and that’s a different situation, but this situation was clear.
“We have a clear advantage and our stats show that we have been on the front paw since the red card. There are no rules. It’s a gray area. We put football integrity at stake because everyone can guess to try and stop every game in every game.
“It’s hard to know what the outcome is, but this is a case that should be taken seriously, as this is a case of precedent.
Both the towns of Rovers and Ipswich have insisted the EFL on the outcome of the postponement and are waiting for a decision.
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