Referee Moreno, "I'll send you off again if it's the same situation"
Referee Moreno, "I'll send you off again if it's the same situation"
Blog Article
The round of 16 match between Korea and Italy at the 2002 FIFA Korea-Japan World Cup remains a strong memory for many soccer fans. In particular, the scene where Francesco Totti of Italy was sent off for the match is still talked about, and Ecuador's Byron Moreno is drawing attention again. Interest in the match is rising again, with the possibility of reuniting Totti and Moreno, the legendary Italian players, after 23 years.
The Ecuadorian professional football league Barcelona SC announced the hosting of the "Noche Amariya 2025" event at Banco Pichincha Stadium in Guayaquil on the 1st of next month. The event will be a place where fans and players enjoy the festival with the announcement of Barcelona SC's new season uniforms, especially this year, which will be even bigger to mark the 100th anniversary of its foundation. Many local governments and companies will participate in the event under the theme of yellow, Barcelona SC's team color, and friendly matches will also be held.
With news that Totti will be invited as a "surprise guest," local soccer fans' expectations are rising. Achilles Alvarez, the mayor of Guayaquil and a former vice president of Barcelona SC, hinted at the possibility of his visit, saying, "It would be great if Totti came." As a result, discussions are actively underway on the possibility of a reunion between referee Moreno and Totti.
In the match, Totti was sent off for the second yellow card in overtime, which prompted South Korea to come from behind to win 2-1. At the time, major Italian media outlets aggressively criticized Moreno, posting his face on the front page, drawing criticism that borders on a national curse. Moreno later became a commentator for Ecuador's broadcasting network, where he said he had no meetings with Totti after the match. "I did what I had to do then, and if the same situation happened again, 안전놀이터 I would do the same," he said firmly.
Referring to the possibility of attending the Noche Amariya event, Moreno added, "If I meet Totti again, it will be global news, and I will be very happy." He recalls the game in several local broadcast interviews in 2022, and he remains a much-loved figure in Ecuador.