Trabzonspor won 1-0 against Antalyaspor last night, but the battle on the field wasn't just against the opponent. Referee decisions once again overshadowed the game.

The referee controversy is a column topic. Column articles .

Match schedule Trabzonspor matches ; sports culture; sports in Trabzon .

Before addressing the referee, we need to mention the broadcaster's attitude. What was the purpose of showing a tiny empty space behind the goal, as a blurry image from behind the nets, for a full 20 seconds? Isn't trying to create the impression of an "empty" stadium when it's over 90% full a deliberate attack against Trabzonspor? You don't even seem to realize you're damaging your own brand value.

One of the turning points of the match was our second goal being disallowed. A decision that made what should have been an easy night difficult… Interestingly, the clearest view of that position was shown by the broadcaster only after the goal was disallowed. The main referee, however, only watched the position from a single, and incorrect, angle on the VAR monitor. Is this justice? If the decision was correct, why was the clearest angle shown after the decision, and not before? We already know why the VAR referee didn't show it to the main referee.

Before Visca missed the chance, despite the Antalyaspor player's leg rising high enough to touch Onuachu's head, no direct free kick was awarded. The game was stopped to interrupt our attack when the Antalyaspor player injured himself. Similarly, the referees immediately showed yellow cards when our substitutes stood up, but "forgot" to show cards for Emre Belözoğlu's repeated excessive reactions. Could there be a clearer example of double standards?

And the most striking part: Onur Özütoprak, whom we've mentioned frequently above, was on the VAR booth. The same person who didn't award a penalty or show a red card in last week's Göztepe match, but immediately intervened when Cenk committed a somersault.

Furthermore, it was Özütoprak who, in our Fenerbahçe match last season, saw Ostervolde's elbow but ignored the foul before the goal, and who, in the Galatasaray match, failed to give Yunus Akgün a red card, allowing him to contribute to two goals. Is it merely a "coincidence" that such a referee has been assigned to the Trabzonspor match again?

Trabzonspor is battling opponents on the field, but is also forced to fight against this injustice off the field. We won, we got the three points, but the question that needs to be asked is: Why do referees, who are supposed to beautify football, cast such a shadow over the game?