Blackburn Rovers manager Valerien Ismael has unleashed a blistering attack on the standard of Championship refereeing, suggesting a potential bias towards certain clubs after his side's dramatic late draw with Ipswich Town.
A Replay and Late Heartbreak
The fiery comments came following a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park on Tuesday night, 2nd December 2025. The match itself was a controversial full replay of a September fixture abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch. The original game was halted in the 79th minute with Blackburn leading 1-0 and Ipswich reduced to ten men.
In the replayed contest, it looked like Andri Gudjohnsen's 76th-minute strike would secure a vital victory for Rovers. However, Sindre Walle Egeli's 94th-minute equaliser snatched the points away, compounding Blackburn's frustration over the match's unusual circumstances.
Ismael's Explosive Allegations
Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire post-match, Ismael did not hold back. "I'm heartbroken for the boys," he began, before turning his ire squarely on the officials. "Tonight, I can't not talk about the referee. Now, enough is enough."
The Frenchman highlighted a specific incident involving Ipswich's Azor Matusiwa, who he felt should have been shown a red card for a last-man challenge. "The red card is a disgrace. It's terrible," Ismael stated. He also claimed his side were denied a penalty for a foul on Yuki Ohashi and a late corner.
His most eye-catching claim, however, hinted at institutional favouritism. "Maybe it's because it's a former Premier League club and they wanted to help them," Ismael speculated about Ipswich. "Nobody can understand and follow the decision-making from the referee."
A Season's Worth of Grievances
Ismael revealed that the club has compiled a list of decisions they believe have gone against them this season. He proceeded to reel off a catalogue of perceived injustices:
- No penalty at West Brom.
- No penalty for a Gudjohnsen incident at Watford.
- A missed handball and penalty against Charlton.
- No penalty versus Swansea.
- No red card for Preston's Ben Whiteman.
- No penalty for Pape Gueye.
- No foul called in the Wrexham match.
"If you get 10 per cent of that, it's maybe four points for us," he argued. "Enough is enough... The referee must perform now, because it can't stay like this."
Ismael's outburst could land him in hot water with the Football Association. FA Rule E3.1 prohibits comments that bring the game into disrepute, with punishments ranging from fines to touchline bans. His claim of bias, in particular, is likely to be scrutinised closely by the governing body.
