Ben Brereton Diaz has made it clear that he’s only concerned with the opinions of his manager and teammates after facing criticism for his actions during Southampton’s match against Newcastle United.
The Chilean forward was at the center of controversy on the opening day of the season at St James’ Park, where he dramatically fell to the ground clutching his face after a minor clash with Newcastle’s Fabian Schar. Schar was subsequently sent off for lightly pressing his forehead against Brereton Diaz, much to the dismay of the Newcastle players. Dan Burn even exchanged heated words with Brereton Diaz in the tunnel at halftime before being separated by others.
The incident drew criticism from football pundits, with Alan Shearer labeling Brereton Diaz’s reaction as “embarrassing,” and former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness accusing him of “cheating” and suggesting he should have been sent off. However, Southampton manager Russell Martin defended his player, stating that Newcastle would have reacted similarly if the roles were reversed, calling it a “moment of madness” from Schar.
Reflecting on the incident, Brereton Diaz told the *Daily Mail*, “For me, it was adrenaline. In the game, I felt contact and went down—simple as that. If it wasn’t a red card, VAR should have intervened. But I felt the contact, and that’s how it played out.”
He added, “That’s football. I’m not on social media much, but I know opinions are part of the game. The only opinions that matter to me are those of my team and manager. I’ve watched it back, and it’s a tough call. In today’s game, it’s hard to say if it’s a red or not, but it’s not my decision. I felt contact, went down, and the officials made their call. I’m just focused on playing football. At the end of the day, it is what it is.”
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