Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has expressed his belief that referees from the biggest leagues have more knowledge of the tricks of the trade than other officials.
The Gunners travel to Germany to take on Bayern Munich in their Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday, with the match due to be officiated by Norwegian referee Svein Oddvar Moen.
Wenger hinted that Moen's relative lack of experience at the top level could put him at a disadvantage in such an important game, but insisted that he would not go into the match with any "preconceived ideas" about the man in the middle.
However, the 64-year-old Frenchman did express his desire to see all 22 players stay on the pitch until the end having seen his side receive a game-changing red card in the first leg, which Bayern went on to win 2-0.
"What we want is a good referee and the closer they are to the tough leagues, the more chances they have to detect the tricks that can decide the game. But that is the same for Bayern, because I talk about my players and the Bayern players," Wenger told reporters.
"What I mean sometimes is that when you come from a league that is less pacey...I don't know. Honestly, I never look at the referee before the game. I never have any preconceived ideas. Sometimes when referees have big experience it helps them get out of tricky situations.
"I think you do not want players to stay on the pitch who deserve to be sent off, but as well you do not want games to be killed, or the interest of the game to be killed, for reasons that are tricky. To find that kind of balance, the experience of the referee is important."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini was recently handed a two-match ban after suggesting that Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson "was not impartial to both teams" during his side's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona.
Barney Corkhill
