Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca becomes first Prem boss to offer David Coote verdict

Enzo Maresca has become the first Premier League manager to publicly condemn suspended referee David Coote.

Coote saw himself removed from duty by the referees’ association, PGMOL, last week after a video was leaked showing him make offensive remarks about Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, referring to Klopp as a “German c**” and branding Liverpool “s***”.

The Football Association has launched its own investigation into the X-rated outburst in which Coote, 42, also labelled former Kop messiah Klopp “f****** arrogant”.

Today, as Chelsea’s boss Maresca returns to his former battleground at Leicester, he weighed in on the controversy that has shaken the Premier League.

He said: “I have seen it. These kind of things, not any reaction – whether it is a player, a manager, is a referee, a normal human being not involved in football – the reaction is not the best one because there are things that are not correct to say.

“It doesn’t matter that he is a referee. If I, as a manager, say the same it is wrong. If you, as a journalist, say the same it is something wrong.

“So no matter that he is a referee. Any human being that says these kind of things it is not good.”

In yet another bombshell, Coote was filmed allegedly snorting a white powder.

The scandal comes at a time when confidence in match officials has nose-dived, but despite this, PGMOL remains steadfast in its support for Coote, saying that his well-being “continues to be of the utmost importance to us”.

Despite the backlash over the refereeing controversy, Maresca responded with a single emphatic word when questioned if he still has trust in referees: “Absolutely.”