Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini claims referees favour Real Madrid
With Juve level with the 11-time champions on aggregate referee Michael Olivier adjudged Lucas Vasquez to have been fouled in the box and awarded a penalty
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Giorgio Chiellini has hinted a refereeing conspiracy to favour Real Madrid was the reason Juventus were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
With Juve level with the 11-time champions on aggregate referee Michael Olivier adjudged Lucas Vasquez to have been fouled in the box and awarded a penalty much to the fury of the visiting players.
Gianluigi Buffon was sent off for his protestations before Cristiano Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot to send Real through 4-3 over the two legs.
It's not the first time Madrid have benefited from questionable officiating in Europe's premier competition in recent years with an offside Ronaldo notching the extra-time winner at this stage a year ago.
And Chiellini believes it's more than just coincedence.
"It shouldn't be surprising, Bayern Munich went through it last year and this was Juve's turn," he said. "Between the first leg and this one, just about everything happened. It's laughable that the Italian refereeing designator said things are going well in the Champions League.
"Nobody thought we could turn it around, but we believed and it'll help us for the next Champions League campaigns. It'll be an objective for the future."
Buffon was incensed by decision describing Oliver as an "animal" and said he’d have been better off watching from the stands "while eating fries".
"To award such a doubtful, or super doubtful penalty, just ahead of the final whistle and destroy the work of a team who gave absolutely everything you have to have a rubbish bin instead of a heart,” the Italian goalkeeper said. “You need to be prepared for a game like this. You have to watch the first leg and see that a similar foul was not punished with a penalty for Juventus in Turin.
"And especially you need personality to referee a game like this. If you don't have personality, you better watch the game from the stands with your wife and your kids while eating fries. What did I say to him while I was protesting? I could say everything in that moment because when you take such decision in a certain moment of the game it means you don't know what sport is.
“A human being cannot decide the elimination of a team with such decision. When I don't feel that I'm good enough, I put myself in a corner. He should do the same. It's a matter of sensibility. It means you don't know where you are, which teams are playing, you don't know shit.
“If you have the cynicism to award a penalty like that in the 93rd minute, you are not a man, you are an animal."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments