West Ham Striker Criticizes Referee After Europa League Exit to Bayer Leverkusen

West Ham United striker Michail Antonio expressed frustration with the refereeing in his team's Europa League quarterfinal second leg match against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday night. Despite scoring an early goal to give West Ham hope of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit, Antonio felt the decisions from Spanish referee Jose Maria Sanchez and his assistants went against the Hammers throughout the game.

"It doesn't feel like you're playing against 11 men, it feels like you're playing against 14 including the two linos (linesmen)," Antonio said after the match. "I felt like I didn't get a decision all night from the referee. He was card-happy." The referee issued a total of 10 yellow cards in the match, five to each side, leading to frequent interruptions.

West Ham pushed hard for a second goal that would have taken the tie to extra time, but Leverkusen substitute Jeremie Frimpong scored a late equalizer to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate. The German side extended their unbeaten run to 44 matches across all competitions this season and advanced to the Europa League semifinals.

Why this matters: West Ham's elimination ends their hopes of winning a first major European trophy in over 40 years. The manner of the defeat, with questionable refereeing decisions, adds to the disappointment for a team that has exceeded expectations in Europe in recent seasons.

Despite the loss, West Ham manager David Moyes praised his team's performance over the two legs against a strong Leverkusen side. "We played a really good team and we had chances to be two or three up," Moyes said. Antonio also remained positive, noting that reaching the Europa League quarterfinals for three consecutive years was an "unbelievable" achievement for a club that was previously a "yo-yo team" in and out of Europe. West Ham will now turn their focus to securing European qualification again for next season through their Premier League position.

Key Takeaways

• West Ham striker Michail Antonio criticized the refereeing in their Europa League exit.
• Referee issued 10 yellow cards, leading to frequent interruptions in the match.
• West Ham's elimination ends their hopes of winning a first major European trophy in 40+ years.
• Despite the loss, West Ham manager David Moyes praised his team's performance against Leverkusen.
• West Ham will now focus on securing European qualification through their Premier League position.