“A joke of a decision.”
Ryan Giggs got more animated than Slaven Bilic when discussing the controversial VAR decision that led to Antoine Griezmann’s penalty in France’s 4-2 World Cup win over Croatia.
The former Manchester United midfielder kept Bilic company up in the commentary gantry and both men spoke to ITV after the French victory.
Bilic, who played and managed Croatia, was asked for his take on the penalty decision against Croatia’s Ivan Perisic.
Remarkably, given Bilic’s passionate nature, he was very measured with his comments. He said:
“I’ve said I’m a fan of VAR before… [But] as a Croatian, the distance between Perisic and the French player [in front of him] is not enough for him to move his hand.
“It has to be a stonewall decision and it isn’t.”
Bilic added, “I said during the Australia and France game [when there was a handball spotted by VAR] that I’ve seen them given. It is VAR and it is only new so there are trials and errors.
“After 1998, we spoke about Lillian Thuram’s goals [in the semi-final defeat] and it will be the same here.
“Make no mistake, it is going to haunt us for years; definitely.”
"Make no mistake, it will haunt us for years" – Slaven Bilic remarkably measured in his post-match comments pic.twitter.com/IBSmGr2mJN
— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) July 15, 2018
Telling, that the English pundits are more scathing of the ref's performance than Slaven Bilic, a Croatian.. green-eyed monsters 😔
— F#78 💙 (@pwnage__101) July 15, 2018
I dislike Slaven Bilic but he is so right.
Croatia did not deserve to lose today 😔
Croatian fans hold your heads up. #WorldCupFinal #FRACRO— Yousaf 🏴🇵🇰🇯🇴 (@Yousaf_S_1987) July 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/BlogOfTheNet/status/1018545930751168512
Slaven Bilic: "People are saying we do not not have enough class to win the #WorldCup, for me neither France. Apart from Mbappe, Griezmann and may be Giroud who held it up. You saw Kante struggled, that showed how Croatia played." Can't disagree.
— Purview (@abdul_semi) July 15, 2018
After making those comments, the Croat did offer his congratulations to France while Giggs lamented some of the big decisions that went against Luka Modric and his team.
“France froze tonight,” said Giggs, “especially in the first 20 minutes.”
Host Mark Pougatch left Bilic and Giggs to it and returned to his studio panel. Roy Keane had something to say about France.
“Well,” he began, “I’d like to freeze evert week and win 4-2!
“I wouldn’t agree with that [comment from Giggs]. France have got the winners’ medals and they deserved them.”
