They were also pleased that Cristiano Ronaldo converted the spot kick and praised Real Madrid’s team spirit during the game.
Advertisement
Juventus legend Alessandro del Piero does not agree with Gianluigi Buffon’s scathing criticism of referee Michael Olivier on Wednesday night.
Although few had contemplated the possibility that this quarter-final second-leg would be competitive, that an injury-time victor from Cristiano Ronaldo was required to put Real through caught many by surprise.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a controversial penalty award in added time of the game to send Real Madrid through to the semi-finals with a 4-3 aggregate after a brace from Mario Mandzukic and a strike from Blaise Matuidi gave Juventus a 3-0 lead in Madrid to level the tie at 3-3.
From the opposing standpoint, Ronaldo said there was no doubt Oliver got it right.
With the clock ticking down at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid began a last-ditch attack.
After the penalty was awarded, Juventus centre back was incensed and insinuated that Madrid paid the referee by waving imaginary money towards the Real players.
“It is obvious that Real Madrid always benefit in the Champions League and that it never goes the other way”.
He wrote in his Daily Mail column: “Michael Oliver justified the decision with some very strong but correct refereeing in the Bernabeu”.
‘That was a disgraceful reaction but I won’t have to listen to it again because that’s my last game, I’m out of here, ‘ he announced, before banging the desk and walking out of the press conference, his immediate and formal departure announced by the club shortly afterwards.
“As a captain, you are responsible for your team and not to the referee”.
The second leg of the match-up, a retread of the 2017 remaining, had regarded a mountain to climb for Juve after Actual’s 3-Zero thrashing of the Italian league leaders in Turin final week. “He can’t just destroy everything like that”, Buffon continued. The verbal outburst would probably have been lost in the moment, but laying hands on an official is taboo and required him to be shown a straight red card.
“He, with those two decisions at the end, demonstrated that he is a killer, an animal, because only somebody who has a rubbish bin in the place of a heart can make decisions like these”, lambasted Buffon. The significance of the match doesn’t justify Buffon’s actions, but it does in part explain why he was so angry and reacted the way he did. The penalty, awarded well into injury time, was perceived by the Italians as a huge injustice, and made them lose their heads.
With the match heading into extra-time, Mehdi Benatia fouled Lucas Vazquez leaving Buffon furious with the English ref.
Advertisement
Oliver will reflect on his evening’s work with mixed fortunes. “The penalty was “claro”, said the defender.
