Olivier Létang, president of Lille, has expressed his doubts about the appointment of referee Sandro Schärer for the Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund. Létang found it remarkable that a German-speaking Swiss official was in charge of the game, which ultimately resulted in Lille's elimination. His remarks have caused controversy in Switzerland.
Lille’s 1-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16 not only ended their European campaign but also sparked a heated controversy over refereeing decisions.
After a tense and fiercely contested match, club president Olivier Létang did not hold back in his post-match comments, voicing his frustration over what he saw as unfair decisions that had influenced the outcome of the tie.
While acknowledging the team’s strong run in the competition, Létang expressed deep disappointment with some of the officiating decisions. "We can go back and discuss whether it was a penalty or not, whether it was a red card or not," he stated, emphasizing how several key moments had gone against Lille. Beyond individual calls, however, his strongest criticism was aimed at the appointment of Swiss referee Sandro Schärer, whose German-speaking background raised concerns for Létang given that Borussia Dortmund is a German club.
The most contentious moment of the match came in the 52nd minute, when Dortmund was awarded a penalty after Serhou Guirassy went down following a challenge from former Dortmund right-back Thomas Meunier. To Létang and many Lille supporters, the decision seemed soft, if not outright incorrect. "That was never a penalty," he insisted after the match. Adding to his frustration, he pointed out what he saw as inconsistent refereeing, specifically the case of Waldemar Anton, who was already on a yellow card but was not given a second booking despite a late challenge. "Did you see that Nico Kovac (Dortmund’s manager) immediately took him off the pitch?" Létang remarked, suggesting that even Dortmund’s coach knew Anton was at risk of being sent off.
However, what truly alarmed Létang was the perceived bias in communication between the referee and Dortmund’s players. "To be honest, when I saw that the referee was a German-speaking Swiss, I found it unusual. At halftime, he was only speaking German with the Dortmund players," he stated, implying that Schärer’s linguistic background may have influenced the way he interacted with the teams.
His remarks quickly ignited a storm of controversy, particularly in Switzerland, where they were met with strong backlash. Critics accused Létang of questioning the referee’s neutrality without any real evidence, while others pointed out that referees often communicate in the language they are most comfortable with, especially when dealing with players from different nationalities.
The controversy deepened when Christophe Girard, the former head of referees in Switzerland, publicly criticized Létang’s statements. "This is a bad, pointless controversy," Girard responded, dismissing the idea that Schärer’s nationality had any impact on the match. He also pointed out that Schärer is fluent in French and regularly officiates matches involving French-speaking Swiss clubs like FC Sion and FC Lausanne-Sport. "He speaks very good French, which he uses when officiating in Switzerland. There is no reason to believe he would not have communicated with Lille’s players properly," Girard added.
The former referee chief also defended the penalty decision, arguing that it was correctly awarded and in line with the Laws of the Game. More than just disputing Létang’s claims, however, Girard accused him of failing to understand Switzerland’s cultural and linguistic diversity. "Anyone who suggests that Schärer is German simply because he speaks Swiss German does not understand our culture. Our French neighbors often only know French, and for them, it is unthinkable that in Switzerland, multiple languages are spoken," he said, highlighting what he saw as a misguided complaint from the Lille president.
Girard was not the only figure to push back against Létang’s comments. Several Swiss media outlets condemned the accusations, suggesting that bringing up the referee’s language background was an unnecessary distraction from Lille’s defeat. UEFA also declined to comment on the matter, making it clear that there were no concerns regarding Schärer’s performance.
Lille’s European campaign ended in frustration, but the fallout from Létang’s remarks continues to fuel debates over refereeing neutrality in international club competitions. While some argue that UEFA should take extra precautions in selecting referees for high-stakes matches, others believe that the criticism directed at Schärer was unfounded and unfair.
For Lille, the focus must now shift back to their domestic objectives, but the controversy surrounding this match is unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon. The debate over whether linguistic and cultural factors should play a role in referee assignments is now firmly in the spotlight, and whether UEFA will take any measures in response remains to be seen.
