Paolo di Canio admits referee was right to send him off

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio in an intense conversation with referee Martin Atkinson

Sunderland boss was banished from the sidelines by referee Marin Atkinson during his teams clash with Arsenal. The Daily Mail reports.

The 45-year-old confessed that he went up to the referee to complain against Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud after he felt that the player was taking his own sweet time to get off the pitch following his injury.

The Gunners manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that the injury could make Giroud miss Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Marseille.

Paolo Di Canio showed no compassion for Giroud, who was on the score sheet for the game.

Di Cabio said: ‘I was never calmer than today. But I tried to protest because we could lose two minutes at the end when their player was injured. A ball can go into the box and anything can happen.

‘He said if you keep going I send you off to the stand. I said if you want to complete a perfect day, then send me off, he said now you go off to the stand.

‘I am sure he is a nice man.’

A disallowed Jozy Altidore goal caused the scuffle. The goal clearly went over the line but referee Atkinson continued the game due to a fowl on Arsenal’s Bacary Sagna in the early stages on the game.