The Referees Need To Better Protect Saka – Zinchenko

Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko has likened his teammate Bukayo Saka to football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, calling for referees to offer the 21-year-old the same level of protection as the two legends.

Zinchenko made the comparison after Saka’s excellent performances this season, scoring ten goals and providing eight assists in 31 games across various competitions.

In a recent interview, Zinchenko praised Saka’s abilities, stating that other teams’ full-backs are aware of his threat and often try to provoke him.

The Ukrainian international believes that Saka deserves more protection from referees, stating that such players require careful attention from match officials.

“Bukayo is an unbelievable player, all the full-backs from the other teams know he is so dangerous, so they try to provoke him, tackle him and the referees should know this,” said Zinchenko.

“We can speak about Messi, Cristiano, Neymar and players like this. The referees need to protect this kind of player. Apart from Bukayo, we have other front players who are so dangerous and the referees need to be careful, they need to look after them, of course.”

Saka has become one of Arsenal’s standout players, with his performances gaining recognition both domestically and internationally.

He was named as the PFA Young Player of the Year last season, and has also earned seven caps for England. His skill, versatility, and composure on the ball have drawn comparisons to some of the game’s all-time greats, and he has been hailed as one of the brightest young talents in world football.

Zinchenko, who plays for Manchester City, is currently preparing for his side’s Champions League last-16 tie against Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Arsenal will face Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, with Saka expected to feature prominently once again.