UEFA charges Buffon over ref Michael Oliver comments News

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UEFA charges Buffon over ref Michael Oliver comments

By Daily Sports on May 12, 2018

Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon has been charged by UEFA over comments about referee Michael Oliver after their Champions League defeat by Real Madrid.

Buffon was sent off for dissent after Oliver awarded Real a late penalty, which they scored to go through.

Following the quarter-final second leg on 11 April, Italian Buffon said the official had “a bag of rubbish” rather than “a heart” and should “sit in the stands” and “eat crisps”.

Real progressed 4-3 on aggregate.

UEFA says the 40-year-old Italy goalkeeper has been charged with breaching its “general principles of conduct” after his outburst against the English referee.

European football's governing body, which also charged Buffon for the red card, said in a statement the case will be dealt with on 31 May.

Referee Oliver and wife Lucy were offered police support after both were targeted on social media following the incident, with police also investigating threatening text messages.

What did Buffon say?

Immediately after the game, Juventus captain Buffon said: “It was a tenth of a penalty.

“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 bag of rubbish. 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, having your drink 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.”

Several days later, Buffon defended his comments on Italian TV: “The content remains and I stand by all of it. I’d say them all again – maybe with a different type of language.

“You find a way to speak, right or wrong, that at times can seem excessive – but this is me, I am Gigi Buffon.” (BBC)

•Photo shows Buffon reacting furiously to being sent off by Oliver

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 12, 2018