Revenge for removal: what is known about the conflict between Khacheridi and the referee of the match "Vitebsk" - "Dynamo"

The match of the fifth round of the Belarusian football championship, in which Vitebsk hosted the Brest Dynamo in their field, ended in a major scandal. At its center was the defender of the guests Evgeny Khacheridi.

At the 85th minute of the meeting, the Ukrainian flagrantly violated the rules in his own penalty area. He hit the heel of midfielder Diego Santos, who was without the ball. Chief referee Sergei Chistov showed him a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct and awarded a penalty. Dynamo players, including the offender himself, tried to challenge the punishment, but the judge was adamant.

At this point, the teams were still unable to open an account, and Dynamo was already in the minority: in the 73rd minute, the second warning was received by Cameroonian midfielder Gaby Kiki. In this regard, the appointment of the 11-meter meter actually became a sentence for the wards of Sergei Kovalchuk - the match ended in a victory for the hosts with a score of 1-0.

It is worth noting that the match in Vitebsk took place in a tense atmosphere. The championship of Belarus continues, despite the global coronavirus pandemic, and this city is considered one of the main foci of infection in the country. Before the meeting, Dynamo striker Artyom Milevsky even admitted that he was afraid to go there. In addition, the team arrived from Brest a few hours before the starting whistle, which also could not have a positive effect on the willingness of the players.

Not everyone agreed with the red card Khacheridi, and the press service of the Brest team even called both deletions “ambiguous”. At the same time, according to the head coach of Vitebsk Sergey Yasinsky, Chistov did the right thing. It is interesting that it was this referee who became the protagonist of the first round of the championship of Belarus. Then in the match “Slutsk” - “Slavia” he awarded five penalties, which became the new record of the tournament.

“As for the goal scored, it's a little unusual, to be honest. But still, if you follow the rules, the letter of the rules, there really was a violation. It’s probably all right, but I’ll repeat it again: I am glad, first of all, for the team showing good substantial football, ”Yasinsky quotes“ Pressball ”.

In turn, Kovalchuk did not comment on controversial episodes.

However, the removal of Khacheridi did not end the conflict. It is reported that the brawl continued in the under-tribune building, where the defender tried to attack Chistov. In addition, the massage therapist "Dynamo" Sergey Lapitsky noted inappropriate behavior. He swore words against the arbitrators, and also threatened them with physical harm. These actions were also recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

It is still unknown what awaits Khacheridi, but the first rumors have already appeared that his behavior will not go unpunished. Ukrainian media, citing sources close to Dynamo, reported that management intends to break the contract with the defender. In addition, he expects a large fine, as well as suspension from five matches of the championship of Belarus.

“The final decision will be made shortly. Moreover, the reason for the contract can be terminated precisely this incident with the aggression of the player in the direction of the referee in the tribune room. It seems that this scandal may become the most high-profile in Zhenya’s career, ”wrote journalist Andrei Shagov.

Khacheridi is a three-time champion of Ukraine in the Kiev Dynamo, as well as the winner of the Greek championship with PAOK. At the same time, many, including Russian fans, remembered him for conflicts with referees, coaches, rivals and teammates.

One of the biggest scandals with his participation took place in the group stage match of the Europa League season 2011/12, in which Dynamo Kiev met with Maccabi. Then Khacheridi grabbed one of the rivals by the throat, for which he received a red card. The meeting ended with a score of 3: 3, and the Ukrainian team remained overboard the playoffs of the tournament, which many blamed the defender. After the meeting, it became known that Captain Alexander Shovkovsky was so angry that he hit him in the face.

From 2018 to 2019, Khacheridi played for PAOK, but he rarely entered the field. Fans of the Moscow “Spartak” well remember his ambiguous gesture in the qualifying match of the Champions League, held in Moscow. The footballer showed a shield to the home stands, which depicted the flag of Ukraine. He did this allegedly due to the fact that fans shouted insults at him.

In October 2019, Kharechei, as a free agent, signed a contract with Dynamo Brest, although at that time he had been without practice for more than a year. However, the debut in the championship of Belarus also had to be postponed. At first, the coaching staff did not like the Khacheridi uniform, and then he broke his finger.

The former director of Gomel, Yevgeny Pobolovets, noted that Dynamo was not worth signing the Ukrainian.

“Now it’s clear: Brest got to Khacheridi. And seriously so. Some super games aren’t visible at point blank range, but the behavior ... Yesterday it was he who brought defeat ... In general, I don’t believe that he will help Dynamo much in the Champions League, ”Pobolovets wrote on his Facebook page.