MONTREAL – Montreal Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum addressed the media for the first time on Friday concerning his ejection from a match last weekend in Kansas City, and he has a message: It’s not fair.
Schällibaum was ejected at halftime of Montreal’s 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City last Saturday for confronting the referee over a first half stoppage-time penalty for the hosts, and disbelief and frustration colored Schällibaum’s voice as he discussed the incident.
“First of all, I’m disappointed because I didn’t do anything,” Schällibaum told reporters. “In Europe, you can walk onto the field and talk with the referee. I calmly told him that [the foul] was outside the penalty box, that’s it. And it seems you can’t do that.
“It’s a pity that the people they punish can’t say anything. They decide in New York, I have to accept that and I don’t think it’s fair.”
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The ejection was the second of the season for Schällibaum, who will be forced to miss the Impact’s match against the Columbus Crew on June 15. He was also sent off the last time the Impact played in Kansas City in late March, for allegedly throwing a water bottle at the game’s fourth official from the Montreal bench area.
Schällibaum denied the allegation and insisted he only squirted water in between the two teams’ benches, but still apologized in the following days, telling the media that he needed “to control my emotions.”
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Because of the ejection last week, Schällibaum was watching from afar when mayhem followed the second half of the Impact’s 2-1 win. According to assistant coach Mauro Biello, who took over Schällibaum’s duties at half time, Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes refused to shake hands and had some choice words for the Impact bench after the match concluded.
Asked about the alleged accusations of classlessness, Schällibaum kept his thoughts largely to himself.
“That’s his opinion,” Schällibaum said. “We know that we’re well-educated and that we respect everyone. I think we’ve got class as well.”
