Jesse Marsch Fined for Criticizing Referees

Ahead of this year's third Hudson River Derby, Jesse Marsch had some stern criticism for MLS officials.

Per mlssoccer.com, Marsch told reporters on Wednesday that New York City FC's star DPs, Frank Lampard, David Villa, and Andrea Pirlo, receive special treatment from referees.

Marsch said: “Going into New York City this weekend, I respect the way David Villa plays. He’s a great player but every game I watch he gets a piece of every defender before the ball comes. He fouls throughout the entire game. He hardly ever gets called for it.”

“If he or Pirlo or Lampard get touched, they go down, they draw fouls, they draw yellow cards,” Marsch continued. “It’s an epidemic, an epidemic across the league of these referees who want to give the benefit of the doubt to star players.”

The previous two matches this year between the teams were certainly heated but only resulted in one red card (which was given to Chris Duvall during the July 3rd match).

On Thursday evening, MLS commissioner Don Garber fined Jesse Marsch an undisclosed amount for criticizing league referees.

The Red Bulls face NYCFC at Red Bull Arena, on Sunday, at 1 p.m. ET.