Former FIFA referee and former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has named Chelsea star Alejandro Garnacho as the Premier League’s worst diving offender.
Garnacho joined Chelsea from Manchester United in the summer for £40 million, with Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim telling him to “look for a new club” after their relationship broke down at Old Trafford.
The player, who often rubs people the wrong way, is often seen throwing himself to the ground to win free-kicks and penalties, and Hackett singled him out as the best simulated player in England’s top flight.
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He told Football Insider: “It’s a nightmare for the referee who has to decide whether it’s actually a dive or a foul.
“I would like to focus on (Alejandro) Garnacho from Chelsea, because I think he is a little quick to fall to the ground and moan.
“Most of the players are good and we love watching them play football, but there are too many players falling at the moment.
“And of course what we’re seeing in terms of loss of game time… like against England[against Serbia]Jordan Pickford went down and rubbed his thigh and then there was a tactical break, all that is just nonsense.
“This, combined with the deliberate time-wasting and simulation, is part of the problem with the game at the moment, and we fear it is growing.”
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Garnacho got off to a slow start at Chelsea but impressed last time out with two great assists in the Blues’ 3-0 win over Wolves. Manager Enzo Maresca is pleased with his progress.
“He came here from another club and he wasn’t in good shape because he wasn’t training 100 percent there. Slowly, slowly, he’s getting better now,” Maresca said.
“He’s doing very well on the ball, but he’s also doing very well off the ball. He knows he has to be good on the ball and off the ball to play with us. We’re very happy with him at the moment.”
Garnacho is Maresca’s preferred option on the left wing ahead of Jamie Gittens in the Premier League and is likely to start against Burnley at lunchtime on Saturday, with a win that would see him move into second place ahead of Manchester City by the time City travel to Newcastle.
