Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho suggested that there is a refereeing conspiracy in favour of Barcelona following Real Madrid’s 2-0 loss to the Catalan side at the Santiago Bernabeu.
German referee Wolfgang Stark showed Pepe a straight red card in the 61st minute last night, which was arguably harsh and left Mourinho’s side playing against Barcelona with 10 men for the fourth time this season.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal have had their individual gripes with UEFA’s officiating against Barcelona in the past. In Chelsea’s case the most prominent example was the ridiculous officiating of Tom Henning Ovrebo in the second leg of our Champions League semi-final against Barca in 2009.
The Gooners felt aggrieved after meeting Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the final sixteen of this season’s competition after a few dubious decisions led to Robin van Persie’s sending off, although they cannot complain too much as they were soundly battered by Pep Guardiola’s side.
But neither the Chelsea nor Arsenal manager entertained theories over a pro-Barca conspiracy.
Carlo Ancelotti said:
“The referee can make mistakes and I want to think that everything is okay, everything is clear, because this is my work
“Obviously, there are mistakes in football, referees, players, coaches, but there is no conspiracy.
“Stark is not a referee who can be intimidated. He has a strong personality. He’s a very good referee. Maybe he did a mistake yesterday.”
Arsene Wenger also refused to believe that Barcelona are given an unfair advantage:
“I refuse to believe that because the day I believe that, it is impossible to manage.
“This season, they [Barcelona ] certainly had some advantages. I feel that they were accidental.
“When a manager comes out of a big game like that, and you have a disappointment, you have to accept that you can sometimes go a bit too far.
“But I refuse to believe that there is, let’s say, a script behind the stage and that Barcelona is advantaged.
“I feel that they over-react, certainly, but they play certainly the best football at the moment in Europe and you have to give them credit for that.”
(SkySports)
But after spending some time on Twitter last night, it seems as though that there’s plenty of fans who would beg to differ, and even more fans who were generally unimpressed by the antics of the La Liga giants last night.
It certainly didn’t provide a good advert for the Spanish game as both sides seemed more hell-bent on trying to con the referee, dive, cheat, fight, bitch and feign injury, than actually playing football.
Are Ancelotti and Wenger right, or does Jose Mourinho have a point about UEFA’s supposed favouritism towards Barcelona?
Carlo should know, shouldn’t he? I mean afterall, he was the manager of the Milan team caught in the Referees’ corruption scandal!
Seriously, this guy should concentrate on his job, in which he has been mighty lucky not to be fired so far! Next season, he can take his anti-Jose bitterness somewhere else. Wenger already hold the copyrights to that in the UK! Losers get bitter when their mediocrity is found out by the real deal. With his tactical and motivational ineptitude Roman, like the rest of us CFC fans must be wondering who the real brains behind Milan really was. Maldini? food for thought.
Sean dats tru! Wen ll dis rubbish stop?”why,why”?quoted mrnho!platini seems 2 be unfit 4 its post since all dis nosense cannot be dealt wit!2 dis end i agree barcelona are not a team but dey are notin but liars&pretenders!
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