Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has escaped his first brush with the English Football Association (FA) no lighter in the pockets and without suspension.
Van Gaal, who was charged by the FA for public comments regarding the game referee following his side’s 0-0 FA Cup fourth-round draw at Cambridge United on Jan. 23, has only been given an official warning, the FA announced on Wednesday.
The first-year Dutch manager could have been fined or suspended for any number of domestic games, but gets a pass this time, presumably because it was his first offense.
“Every aspect of the match is against us – the pitch, the referee. Everything that you can think about this is against you.”
From the FA’s official statement:
The Manchester United manager denied that his comments which followed The FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Cambridge United on 23 January 2015 alleged and/or implied bias on the part of the match referee, and/or brought the game into disrepute.