Who Sent Nani Off Against Madrid?

By Michael Ferguson

The 2017 Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Juventus was a tense affair. Juventus had won the first leg 2-1, but Real Madrid were able to level the tie in the second leg thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick.

However, there was controversy in the match when Juventus were reduced to ten men after their star player, Gonzalo Higuain, missed a penalty and then midfielder Miralem Pjanic was sent off for two bookable offences. But it was the sending off of defender Gianluigi Buffon that really caused a stir.

Buffon, who is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of all time, received a straight red card from English referee Michael Oliver after protesting a controversial penalty decision in injury time. The penalty had been awarded to Real Madrid after Lucas Vazquez went down under minimal contact from Medhi Benatia.

Buffon was incensed by the decision and confronted Oliver before being shown the red card. The Italian goalkeeper later said: “I’m sure Oliver will have a great career in future, but he’s too young to officiate a match like that.”

But who actually sent off Buffon? Was it Oliver or someone else?

The answer is that Oliver did not send Buffon off himself – it was his assistant referee who made the call. However, Oliver did consult with his assistant before making the decision.

The incident highlights the importance of communication between referees and their assistants. In this case, it seems that Oliver trusted his assistant’s judgement and acted accordingly.

Of course, there will always be controversy around refereeing decisions in football. Fans will argue over whether or not Buffon deserved to be sent off, just as they will debate whether or not Real Madrid should have been awarded the penalty in the first place.

But regardless of your opinion on these issues, one thing is clear: refereeing is a difficult job and mistakes can be made. It’s up to the officials to do their best and make the right calls, even in high-pressure situations like a Champions League quarter-final.