28 September 2023 , 13:06
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Scotland manager Pedro Martinez Losa slammed the officials during his side’s Nations League clash with Belgium and accused his opponents of “targeting” Real Madrid star Caroline Weir, who was forced off after 19 minutes due to an ACL injury.
Scotland salvaged their first point of their Nations League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Belgium earlier this week thanks to a last-minute Sophie Howard header.
But any post-match merriment was swiftly quashed due to 28-year-old Weir leaving the pitch before the 20-minute mark through injury.
It’s since been confirmed that the forward faces a lengthy spell on the sideline after becoming the latest high-profile footballer to suffer a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Weir joins her compatriot Emma Watson, who joined Manchester United from Rangers this summer, on the sidelines after United confirmed on Wednesday that Watson sustained the same injury during a training session with the national team.
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Following the draw with Belgium, Losa was left fuming with the displays from the officials, which he accused of being dangerously unaware of his opposition's repeated attempts to intentionally harm his best players.
“Deliberately the opponent was to make contact with her and it is the duty of the referee to protect the players,” he said.
“That is very important that when we compete in this competition the standard is of a high level.
Caroline Weir of Scotland (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)“We were punished the other day (against England) and (today) from the beginning the referee was not aware of what was going on.
"The opponent targeted Caroline and after Caroline, they target Kirsty Hanson. The referee was looking at the ball and not what was happening behind.
“I think that is very disappointing for the well-being of the players, but for the highest level of the competition – and we all have to be at the highest level.
“I can only describe what I have seen and I have seen our best player going out of the pitch injured from a tackle that I don’t think the referee even saw.
“I think you can understand my frustration. The person who has to protect the game and the players – you don’t feel they were aware of what was happening.”
ACL injuries have ravaged women's football in recent years, with last season's extensive list of elite-level stars -- which included a quarter of the nominees for last year's Ballon d'Or at one point -- leading to the declaration of an unofficial epidemic within the women's game.
Calls for more research and funding into the prevalence of the injury have grown in ferocity from players, pundits and fans alike.
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