France manager Deschamps questions referee's standard after Spain semifinal loss
France manager Deschamps expressed doubts about referee Barton's capability to oversee the World Cup semifinal between France and Spain, which the Spanish won. The 35-year-old Salvadoran official, in his seventh World Cup match overall and third of this tournament, made two notable errors early in the contest: he initially forgot the spray used to enforce free-kick distances, then awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances. The disputed penalty came when Lucas Digne, the former Roma defender, misjudged a ball in the Spanish penalty area and was beaten by Yamal. Digne had already swung his leg to clear the ball when he struck the Spanish attacker, who went down. Barton immediately indicated the spot-kick, drew criticism from the French players who surrounded him, but upheld his decision after consulting. Deschamps said: "I don't seek excuses; Spain was superior and we were poor, but I do wonder whether the referee was up to the standard of this match. I don't say it because we lost, but there were several situations to discuss." Barton has made history as the first referee to send off a player for covering his mouth during play, having dismissed Almiron in Turkey–Paraguay during the group stage.
