I’m normally all for abusing Michael Oliver, has a tendency to be an appalling referee... but he got that decision spot on. Benatia caught out of position and panicked. Clear penalty.
Michael Oliver
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Actually, looking the analysis, Benatia literally barely touched him with his right hand. I thought it was a clear push, but definitely doesn't look like watching it again. Very soft penalty.
Buffon should have knocked Oliver out. Soft penalty, I still don't think there is enough in it. Player is looking for it before he hits the floor. People say he went though the back of him are talking crap. I'm still glad Real are through because they will put out you know who. Annoyed for Buffon, that's not how it should have ended in CL for him.
Seen it 50 times now. Still can't figure out how that is a penalty.
If that is a penalty, then almost every incident of players touching each other inside the penalty-area is a penalty
If that is a penalty, then almost every incident of players touching each other inside the penalty-area is a penalty
Could it be possible he got it wrong even though it was the right decision? Like he just had a guess, because he's such a clueless cnut he's incapable of deciding whether he's having weetabix or frosties tomorrow.
You can't be a disrespectful. If Buffon kept his cool who knows he was quite capable of saving that penalty.
It did seem like Buffon was the one leading it. He was certainly the most aggressive. And he was handling it. If any of them deserved to be sent off it was him. Sure, you can criticise Oliver's inconsistency for not sending Joe Hart off, but that incident was the mistake, not this one.
50/50 pen. Never a stonewaller as some suggest. He wasnt sure himself and looked at the other officials for a reaction
No one is going to miss English refs in the WC that much is certain.
Yea well . . . Don't become a referee then.
I saw 6 or 7 players shouting at Oliver.
Question is why he choose only Buffon. He should have sent them all off.
I think it was highly contestable, but can see why it was given.
In fairness you're talking absolute fecking horseshit. He quite clearly got both calls right, and you're criticizing him for imaginary things he didn't do.
Hardly. Ronaldo smashed it into the corner
The only reason why Oliver got the match is because UEFA nominated no English to go to the WC.
Buffon should have decked the cnut
Buffon's behaviour was comfortably the most aggressive and volatile.
Maybe facing Buffon down would have been more unnerving than facing down whatshisname. Who knows?
How Ronaldo ended the game without receiving a single yellow card for all his dives is a mystery
I'm confident in saying that 10 times out of 10 that penalty gets awarded with VAR.
There were instances like that several times during the game on set pieces, and he did feck all. It doesn't take a genius to know why he gave that penalty; it wasn't because it was an obvious foul, it was because he wanted to show his authority over the game.
If Oliver reffed the whole game by the standards of that penalty; there would have been multiple penalties during the game. That is the type of game it was, players were all over each other for the whole 90 minutes.
If Oliver reffed the whole game by the standards of that penalty; there would have been multiple penalties during the game. That is the type of game it was, players were all over each other for the whole 90 minutes.
Seen the incident many times now from different angles and still can't make up my mind. So I guess awarding the pen is fine.
Have you actually watched the incident?
If you have and can't work out why Buffon's been the one singalled out then I really don't know what to say. It's just wilful blindness.
I think both sides could make a reasonable case for the penalty incident. Soft pen for me. What baffled me was how much time as actually added on afterwards? The Sczesney substitution + Madrid celebrating etc, why did Oliver just add a minute or probably less?
As Steve Macmanaman rightly predicted the tinfoil hat brigade are out in force 
Pretty sure that wouldnt be the case, VAR gets right decisions wrong too and wrong decisions right
Buffon, De Gea, Courtois and Neuer on the line and that still goes in ffs. No keeper would have saved it.
I say he would have awarded the penalty in that hypothetical scenario. Now, prove me wrong.
No I’m making the point that he’s a inconsistent ref and shouldn’t even be in a position to referee that sort of game. Imaginary things? It’s pretty much known he always is swayed by the home crowd in every game he officiates.
The pen was soft at best.
It's a penalty in the CL as simple as that
In what fictional football game was there an incident exactly like the one involving Vazquez and Benatia?
Oliver gave a penalty because he applied the laws of the game.
Can those who are insistent that it was either not a pen or soft because Vasquez only got a soft push in the back explain why they're ignoring Benetia rapping his leg around Vazquez's chest?
We don’t know what was said but surely you give a yellow for protesting. It’s never worth a red card unless they get physical.
You're letting your hatred and bias cloud your judgement, the only explanation for criticizing a ref for making the right calls.
I dislike Oliver and think he’s shit, but he was spot on there with both calls. Maybe the red card was a bit harsh, but Buffon certainly gave him the chance.
The incident happened in the 92nd minute, therefore 2 mins of the added three were accounted for.
It’s irrelevant how long the incident took, Oliver should add time for that.
Bizarre criticism of the ref across the board for me. It’s soft, but by the laws of the game that is 100% correct.
How such shit refs can be awarded to ref games of these magnitude I’ll never get it.
Fixed it for you.
There's no doubt the refs are on their side. You don't really stand a chance. Everytime things get close the refs swing it their way again. The penalty was extremely soft. You can see Vazquez preparing to fall before the leg of Benatia comes in his direction. With the speed he was coming with from behind Vazquez had to end up falling further forward with that force. There may have been slight contact but not enough to warrant the fall that he made. He even looked around for the refs reaction. This is someone looking for the penalty. It's not acceptable for referees to ruin games in this manner. It's not a stonewall penalty. So why give it if there's some doubts? A BS call from Oliver.
Oliver was surrounded and Buffon barged through screaming, shouting and throwing his fingers in around his face.
Buffon behaved like a feckwit and will be aware of that. Hence the sending off.
Foul and abusive language is a red card under the laws of the game.
You can criticise a referee for applying the laws of the game incorrectly, you can crticise the laws themselves, but I don't see how you can criticise a referee for not applying a version of the laws of the game which only exist in your head.