Buffon blasts referee Michael Oliver for costly penalty decision against Juventus

 

Juventus Gianluigi Buffon (in black) being sent off against Real Madrid. [Photo: Courtesy]

Gianluigi Buffon blasted referee Michael Oliver after seeing his European dream turn into a nightmare, declaring the official as having "a garbage bin" where his heart should be.

The legendary Italian keeper was sent off in what might be his final Champions League match, after Juventus' astonishing comeback bit the dust in the Santiago Bernabeu.

Leading 3-0 on the night and having levelled the scores on aggregate, Mehdi Benatia was adjudged to have fouled Lucas Vazquez with just seconds left in injury time.

Referee Oliver pointed to the penalty spot, leading to angry remonstrations from the Juventus players, after which Buffon was sent off for the first time in his Champions League career.

Cristiano Ronaldo turned home the penalty to put Madrid into the semi-finals and end last year's finalists hopes of another final.

“It was a tenth of a penalty,” Buffon told Mediaset Premium. “I know the referee saw what he saw, but it was certainly a dubious incident. Not clear-cut. And a dubious incident at the 93rd minute when we had a clear penalty denied in the first leg, you cannot award that at this point.

“The team gave its all, but a human being cannot destroy dreams like that at the end of an extraordinary comeback on a dubious situation.

“Clearly you cannot have a heart in your chest, but a garbage bin. On top of that, if you don’t have the character to walk on a pitch like this in a stadium like this, you can sit in the stands with your wife, your kids, drinking your Sprite and eating crisps.

“You cannot ruin the dreams of a team. I could’ve told the referee anything at that moment, but he had to understand the degree of the disaster he was creating.

"If you can’t handle the pressure and have the courage to make a decision, then you should just sit in the stands and eat your crisps.”

Buffon would later tell Spanish radio: "You have to be a murderer to make the last two decisions the referee made.

"We started out knowing full well we had 0.0000005 per cent chance of doing it. But I am so truly proud to be part of a team that would play like this, work so hard and give everything. I am proud to be with this group of men.

"Naturally, there is regret and, well, anger."

Juve defender Giorgio Chiellini was equally scolding, taking aim at UEFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina.

“It shouldn’t be surprising, Bayern Munich went through it last year and this was Juve’s turn," said Chiellini.

"It’s laughable that the Italian refereeing designator said things are going well in the Champions League."