Ibrahim Maza launches referee criticism after Leverkusen defeat to Stuttgart

Ibrahim Maza has launched a strong criticism of referee Benjamin Brand following Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-2 defeat by VfB Stuttgart, expressing his frustration over several officiating decisions during the Bundesliga encounter.

The Algerian attacking midfielder scored in the match but was left unhappy with the referee’s performance, which he believes contributed to a frustrating afternoon for his team.

Maza did not hide his disappointment at the final whistle, questioning the handling of the game and the decisions made by the officiating team.

Speaking after the match, the 20-year-old acknowledged the intensity of the contest but accused Brand of losing control of proceedings. He also raised concerns about the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), describing some of the decisions as unacceptable.

“Of course, the match was tense. It’s a match between two great teams who both want to win. But the referee was completely out of control. With all due respect, I have enormous respect for referees and I generally have no problem with them. But today, it was catastrophic. Sometimes there are obvious decisions, but he doesn’t whistle at all or intervenes too late. And as for VAR, it was completely crazy.”

Maza reveals details of exchange with referee

The midfielder’s frustration extended beyond the decisions made during the match, with his interaction with Brand also becoming a major source of anger.

Maza revealed that he was unhappy with the way the referee spoke to him during their exchange, insisting that officials should maintain a level of respect when communicating with players.

According to the Algerian international, the situation became particularly frustrating when he attempted to approach the referee to express his concerns but was told to move away.

He questioned why the official was allowed to address him aggressively when players were seemingly not permitted to communicate with him in the same manner.

“If we’re not allowed to speak to the referee, why does he come up to me and yell at me? I tell him, ‘Speak to me normally!’ But he keeps yelling at me. In that case, he shouldn’t come and talk to me either if, when I simply go to say a few words to him, he tells me, ‘Get away, clear off!’ Then he shouldn’t even speak to me. Frankly, I don’t know what to say…”

Speaking to Sportschau, Maza ended his comments with another remark suggesting that he had more to reveal about the incident but had chosen not to go further.

“I could say a lot more here, but I prefer not to.”

The midfielder’s reaction comes at a difficult moment for Bayer Leverkusen, who have struggled to maintain their early-season momentum.

The German side had been among the Bundesliga leaders just two matchdays ago but have now suffered back-to-back defeats, dropping to sixth place in the standings.

The latest setback against Stuttgart has added to the pressure on the team, with Maza’s comments reflecting the frustration following another disappointing result.

For a player usually recognised for his smile and good humour, the outburst represented an unusual show of anger.

Leverkusen will now have to find a way to recover from their recent defeats as they look to regain their position among the Bundesliga’s leading sides.