De Leo admits Malta hard-done by referee decisions after Netherlands defeat

Malta national teams’ head coach Emiliano De Leo insisted that his team cannot play the role of victims every time referees’ decision go against them but admitted that there has been a recurring pattern in recent matches.

The Italian coach was speaking in the aftermath of Malta’s 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands at the National Stadium, during which the Oranje were awarded three penalties by Croatian referee Duje Strukan who awarded three penalties for the Dutch, with one of them over-ruled by VAR.  

“Every time there’s an incident and someone falls in the penalty area, our opponents are awarded a penalty,” De Leo said.

“Against Lithuania, we were denied a well-deserved victory. Tonight, Holland were given three penalties, even though the second one was overruled by VAR.

“It’s not up to me to comment or act as a referee – there are people within the Maltese Association who will put forward our complaints,” Di Leo remarked.

The Italian coach said he struggles to understand why Malta’s attempt to play constructive football is often dismissed as unrealistic.

“It shouldn’t be like that,” he argued. “I’m here to instil ambition in this team – to show that we can play football. Winning should not be seen as impossible; it should be part of our mentality.”

De Leo praised his players for their courage and determination to maintain possession under pressure, at times playing confidently out from the back. However, he admitted that Malta lacked the quality in the final third to make the right pass or deliver an effective cross.

He acknowledged that the second and third Dutch goals “cut off our legs,” but refused to single out individual mistakes.

“Those errors came from brave decisions – from the desire to play,” he said.

The coach also revealed that he was heartened by praise from Dutch midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Jerdy Schouten, the latter of whom worked with Di Leo during his time on Sinisa Mihajlovic’s coaching staff at Bologna.

In the post-match press conference, Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman joined the chorus of admirers of the Maltese side.

“Malta are a decent team,” Koeman said. “They tried to play football, were courageous, and took risks in building from the back. We started really well, but when our intensity dropped, we lost control of the game. In the second half, we adjusted and managed to regain control.”

Koeman, who had urged his players to go for early goals, admitted that his team nearly paid the price early on after a misplaced pass from Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.

“Listen, that was a bad pass – it can happen to anyone. We’re human after all,” he said.