
Iraola on Evanilson’s red card, VAR and Arsenal
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Saturday’s Premier League game against Arsenal (kick-off 17:30).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
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There are no fresh injury concerns, but Luis Sinisterra remains unavailable.
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On Evanilson’s red card against Manchester United being overturned on appeal: “I haven’t asked for any explanation, and no one has called me to explain how the process has gone. Obviously, something hasn’t worked well. The VAR referees are becoming more important than the actual referees, and I think that is very dangerous.”
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On how many points he believes referee decisions have cost Bournemouth this season: “You have to look at the stats. The VAR interventions for us and for the opposition during the season. The season is very long, and I don’t think we’ve been very lucky during the season with these decisions. It’s something we cannot control but it effects us.”
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On Evanilson now being available after his suspension was lifted: “Obviously you prefer to have Evanilson, not just for this game but the next two. But also there is the part where what I thought is now confirmed. It’s a strange feeling, now we have to focus on the game tomorrow knowing he’s available which is better, but it doesn’t change the decision of the referee.”
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On if they have the hardest final four games out of those chasing Europe: “Probably, yes. Man City and Aston Villa are fighting for Champions League, even Arsenal isn’t 100%. It’s difficult to play these teams at the end of the season when they are very close to achieving important things, but we have to face it in the same way.”
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On taking points off ‘big teams’ this season: “I think in the past we were playing good against these teams but not getting the results. Especially the result against Arsenal, it made us believe. We have to be very good, but we’ve shown all this season that we can beat the good teams.”
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On Arsenal: “We have to respect Arsenal knowing they have been better then us over the season, but maybe over 90 minutes we can definitely beat them.”