Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp believes striker Samir Nurkovic is targeted by defenders because he has been scoring goals.

The Amakhosi striker took his tally up to 10 in the Absa Premiership this weekend in the 1-1 draw with Black Leopards.

Nurkovic, though, was tightly marked by the Leopards defence and caught some rough treatment throughout the encounter.

Speaking after the match, Middendorp believed he was targeted but carefully addressed the refereeing so as to stay out of trouble with the league.

‘You make your own picture. I think of course [Nurkovic was targeted],’ said the German.

‘The referee decided and obviously has his opinion that everything was in the frame of the law. How the rules are allowing it, ask the referee, probably I’m not the right one.

‘But of course if you are successful, if you are scoring, if you are providing a good strike force, you get targeted in particular.

‘The referee has a very clear understanding, he had a good time watching it, and me, I’m good. Probably he lost his eye here and there a little bit, but it’s OK. It’s the decisions from the referees, that’s why they are there.

‘But OK, he has his opinion that everything was good, everything was fine. Good, we have to accept it,’ he concluded.