FC Red Bull Salzburg coach Huub Stevens watched yesterday's Europa League clash with Standard Liege from the stands – voluntarily. Here the Dutchman explains why colours matter and why referees shouldn’t care about trivia.
When prolific striker Marc Janko scored the Red Bulls opener against Standard Liege yesterday after just four minutes, coach Huub Stevens was already on his way to the stands. Just when the away fans from Salzburg were celebrating taking the lead at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne, he had to leave his coach’s bench.
The reason? Well, the Romanian assistant referee wanted Stevens to put on a green jersey because of the potential for confusion with the coach wearing the same colours as the players.
The coach was having none of that and explained why: “I refused to put on a green jersey," Stevens said. "I signed a contract for the Red Bulls, not for a green team. He wanted all of us to put on the green jerseys. I just said: “I won’t do it!”. And then I went to the stands voluntarily. I am a Red Bull, not a green one. And a referee shouldn’t care about trivia like that."
From his new seat, Stevens had to watch Salzburg turn a 2-0 lead into a 3-2 defeat, but importantly the Red Bulls do have the two away goals in their locker for the return leg.
The second leg takes place on February 25 at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, where Stevens will sit on his coach’s bench once again – in his red Salzburg tracksuit.
Catch up with all of the Red Bulls news at Red Bull Salzburg.
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