Traoré (Burkina Faso Player) Criticizes Refereeing: "Referees Ruin the Match"

Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traoré expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee's decisions during his team's 1-0 defeat to Algeria in the second round of the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking to the press after the match, Traoré said: "It's unfortunate that we lost 1-0 because of a penalty. I believe there was a penalty in my favour in the first attack, but the referee did not use VAR."

He added: "For Algeria's penalty, the referee stayed on the field and confirmed the decision. This is unfortunate for African football and for the Africa Cup of Nations; the referees are ruining the match. In the end, the referee pushed me, and this is disappointing. The competition should not be spoiled in this way."

The player further stated that such decisions affect the course of the tournament and harm the image of the continental competition, emphasizing the importance of protecting the integrity of matches to ensure fair play.

Burkina Faso had started the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea before losing to Algeria, with Riyad Mahrez scoring from a penalty kick caused by Rayan Aït Nouri in the 23rd minute.

The Burkinabé team is preparing for a crucial match against Sudan on Wednesday, the day after tomorrow, at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, as they vie for second place in Group E.