Referee: Stoichkov rang me and threatened me
Reuters - Friday 23 March 2012, 16:01
Litex Lovech coach Hristo
Stoichkov has been accused of threatening and insulting the
referee in a telephone call after the Bulgarian champions' 1-0
league win over Slavia Sofia on Saturday.
Bogomil Marinov said he had filed a police complaint after
Stoichkov phoned him three days after the tense league match.
"He called me on Tuesday night, introduced himself and began
to insult and threaten me," Marinov told the Association of
Bulgarian football referees' website on Friday. "He told me that
it had been my last match as a referee."
Marinov, who said he now planned to give up refereeing
professional games, sent off Litex striker Marcelo Nicasio early
in the second half after the Brazilian made minimal contact with
Slavia defender Daniel Zlatkov.
Nicasio, who has scored six goals since joining Litex in
January, had received a yellow card for shirt-pulling while
celebrating his goal in the first half.
Nicasio missed Litex's match at Beroe Stara Zagora on
Wednesday after the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) rejected an
appeal from the club.
The champions were held to a 1-1 draw after five straight
victories and are fifth in the standings with 38 points, seven
behind leaders Ludogorets.
Marinov, 34, said: "I have decided to quit professional
refereeing but I love football so much and I can't imagine my
life without football.
"I'll continue in amateur football though I know the pay
difference is huge."
Former Barcelona striker Stoichkov, known for his aggressive
manner in his playing days, declined to comment.
"I will not comment on such groundless accusations,"
Stoichkov, 46, said in a statement. "I will only say that since
returning to Bulgaria to take charge of Litex, I'm showing much
more tolerance toward referees than when I was a footballer."