Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano bemoans refereeing decisions after his team’s exit
Real Madrid sporting director, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jorge-c19120 Valdano, believes that Gonzalo Higuain’s goal should have stood and his team was robbed by the refereeing decisions.
The second-leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final clash ended 1-1 at the Camp Nou and Real Madrid lost 3-1 on aggregate score to crash out of the competition. Barcelona’s first-leg 2-0 win ended in a huge controversy as several of Madrid players and manager Jose Mourinho accused the referee of favouring the Catalans.
Los Blancos continued with their whines once again and believe that their team was condemned to defeat. Referee adjudged a foul against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Javier-Mascherano-c18071 to the ground in the build-up to Higuain’s disallowed goal. Valdano thinks the Argentinean dived and the goal should have stood.
Talking to the reporters Valdano said, "The referee [Frank De Bleeckere] made a crucial decision in disallowing the Higuain goal. The tie was level but we had the sending off in the first-leg and now the disallowed goal as well in the return. That is the simple reality.”
"I think that Cristiano [Ronaldo] was knocked off balance by [http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gerard-c14664] Pique and went down, the referee gave the advantage, and Cristiano fell on a Barcelona player. I didn't see him commit a foul... An error took place, we were penalised, and we were condemned.” He concluded.
Jose Mourinho made outspoken comments against the UEFA referees and blamed the Barcelona officials for having their influence on the decisions. The Catalans filed a lawsuit against Madrid for these comments and the relation between the two sides have deteriorated in the recent past.
Valdano reckons that it was a very intense game between the two sides and the result could have been different had the decisions gone their way. The 55-year-old believes that the Madrid side has a lot of potential and will certainly improve in the future. He also hailed the fighting spirit in the team and believes that their hunger for silverware will be seen in the future as well.
The former Madrid striker congratulated Barcelona for winning and wished them luck for the final at Wembley Stadium.
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