“Paolo is a wayward player, he always complains”: Former FIFA referees analyze the controversies generated by Guerrero’s debut in League 1 I Bet You

“Very indignant”, declared after the 2-2 draw against Cusco FC. “He added, hoping, perhaps, that the judge will be sanctioned because he did not take care of his integrity in front of the players of the Cusco team who “They went out to hit and not to play football.” And he ended with a lapidary phrase: “it is a setback for Peruvian football.”.

Each of Guerrero’s words, for being the figure he is – for many the best ‘9’ who was born in Peru – is heard louder than that of any other footballer who plays in the local tournament. It rumbles, shakes, unbalances. He knows it and that’s why he doesn’t hold anything back.

Paolo played 89 minutes and, according to statistics, suffered only two fouls. However, during the game he claimed several more from referee Boris Santos. In fact, in the goal of the momentary tie (1-1) for Cusco FC, the captain rebuked the judge that he was the victim of an infraction at the beginning of the play. The VAR analyzed the action and decided that there was nothing.

“To begin with Cristian Santos (Boris) is a new referee but with great projection that we promoted in 2022 and that they froze him and have only given him the opportunity this year”says Braulio Cornejo, former FIFA assistant referee and former vice president of the National Commission of Referees (Conar). “Santos’ work was at the level of the experience he has. “We cannot ask more from a judge that he directs for the first or second time in professional football.”, adds Fernando Chapell, former FIFA referee. Boris Santos is a referee who was promoted in 2022, but he has only refereed three First Division matches: one last year and two this 2024 (Alianza-Comerciantes and Vallejo-Cusco). He was also a VAR referee twice.

Guerrero’s debut is not only talked about for his goal or his criticism of the referee, but also for a controversial play in which he could have been sent off. Both Cornejo and Chapell analyze the action.

The controversy

When the stopwatch marked the 11th minute of play and the scoreboard indicated that Vallejo and Cusco FC were tied at one goal, Paolo Guerrero was the protagonist of a play that could have cost him dearly. The ‘9’ elbowed defender Jonathan Bilbao, who fell lying on the grass.

The referee Boris Santos, who was a few meters away from the play, immediately showed the yellow card to the forward, who began to make gestures of disbelief. While the Cusco players were asking for expulsion, Paolo was in the technical area explaining to Ronald Quinteros, a member of Roberto Mosquera’s technical team, that Bilbao had been grabbing him.

In the VAR room, the judge Robin Segura He analyzed the play with Víctor Ráez and Robin López, and they determined that Santos’ decision was correct: a warning.

However, the debate opened from that play. Should Paolo Guerrero have been expelled? For Braulio Cornejo . “Referees tend to confuse the misuse of arms a lot, especially with the area that hits the opponent (in this case the forearm), considering that it is not an area that generates much damage, but when the intensity is high we no longer evaluate “what does it hit with”he adds in his analysis.

Fernando Chapell believes that “is yellow”, although it is the interpretation of the match referee, since he is close to the play and in real time, something that cannot be calibrated behind the scenes, or with replays. ”He adds.

The debate around the controversial play in which he was the protagonist will continue and in the coming days it will be seen if Paolo’s words resonated in the offices of the National Commission of Referees.