Kyriakos Dimitriou was critical of the refereeing in the AEK vs. Omonia match.
In radio comments on “Super Sport 104.0,” the Larnaca team’s press officer referred to a foul by Duvern on Milicevic that went unnoticed by the referee, Menelaos Antoniou and the VAR (Stefan Ebner), as he noted.
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He also spoke about how important this victory was, commented on Paleari’s outstanding performance, and emphasized that efficiency played a decisive role.
Here are his comments in detail
On the victory over Omonia: “It was beneficial in many ways that we returned to the top of the standings after securing a win in a single match. On the one hand, we got what we came for—the three points—we returned to winning ways in the league, and we did it while also reaping the added benefit of returning to the top of the standings. Being consistent, sustained, and both effective and efficient is something that, at the end of the day, makes all the difference in a marathon like the league. Yesterday we were effective. Essentially, after the first ten minutes—the start of the game—we first managed to even things out and then step up our game and improve our performance. At the end of the day, efficiency was the difference.”
On efficiency: “Before the game, during the press conference, I had emphasized how important it is to be efficient. I’d said it two or three times: in a game like this, let’s be honest, the chances created and the big plays aren’t as numerous as in other games. It’s a game of delicate balances and fine details. What matters is being able to capitalize on your chances and be as effective as possible. Fortunately, that’s exactly what happened for us in yesterday’s game.”
How important is this victory? “It was, without a doubt, AEK’s biggest victory. Not only because we beat Omonia, but because it came after a period of doubt, which had grown more intense. Moreover, let’s be honest, the caliber of the opponent makes the victory even more significant. Omonia is a team that’s also in very good form. A big game, a derby, against an equally formidable opponent—last year’s champion. Our team was coming off a strange week—one that was by no means easy. First, there was the draw against Aris, followed by the Cup match, in which we nearly fell victim to an upset. We showed a strong response yesterday on the field. As time went on, our response became increasingly dynamic.”
On Paleari: “AEK has the maturity and the necessary qualities for a derby—namely, passion, determination, tenacity, and a defense that held us together, especially during the tough moments at the start and then at the beginning of both halves. Paleari made two incredible saves, and I think the time will come when we’ll give the fans the chance to vote for the MVP. I don’t think they’ll have any trouble choosing the Italian.”
Complaints about the refereeing: “I mentioned that, especially in the first half, some others tried to take center stage. I’ll back that up with specific examples. In the 41st minute, there was a clear foul on Duvern, but no yellow card was shown. Immediately afterward, in the 44th minute, there was another foul on the edge of the box with no card, and the referee set up the wall at 7 meters. In the 45+4th minute, there was a clear foul on Köhler on the sideline outside the box, but instead of calling a foul, the referee showed the German player a yellow card for diving. Overall, the decisions caused frustration. And then, in the 53rd minute, we saw Duvernal deliver a cold-blooded punch to Milicevic. Someone might watch it and note that the referee was four meters away from the play with a clear line of sight, but it was just one of those Mondays.”
