Referees/Officials

[andyhinch]

We've been subjected to some pretty bad refereeing performances in the Champions League, but that was ridiculous last night. As someone else said, I'm no conspiracy theorist, but there is no way he was impartial last night. The decision to book Sterling rather than award the penalty was a disgrace. The ref had a clear view of it. On a side note, Messi is as bad as Rooney for trying to ref games.

BG74 said exactly the same thing about Messi to me last night, shockingly biased performance by the ref

 

[mad4city]

There's some real idiots on here. Why did Sergio knock it away from the goal with his handball?

Exactly.

 

[TFC]

Absolute wank, but we battered Barca so I'm less likely to care.

 

[Terra Passenger]

The ref made some curious decisions - carded Sterling when I thought it was likely a penalty and at best a non-call; didn't book one of Barca's defenders (I forget whom) early on when he took a tactical foul; Busquets seemed to get away with murder before finally drawing a foul.

But I don't think he was a cheat or was pro-Barca.

He could have easily given hand ball against Aguero (assuming that he even saw the play) and could have given a penalty for the challenge against Messi in our box (though this was no way a penalty).

My take - bad night for the ref; but we won in the end on our own merit, overcoming his questionable calls.

 

[blue by birth]

Ref was awful last night, no way did Sterling dive and what use are the extra officials behind the goal because they do nothing.
The Barca player who trip Sterling twice when he was past him should have got 2 yellows.
Every 50/50 went Barcas way, but fuck them because we won in spite of the officials not because of them.

 

[inchy14]

Later in the game, they hoofed one over the top at Suarez which resulted in Willy having to rush out & clear the ball.

Suarez was a clear yard offside. No chance the lino didn't see it, just decided not to give it.

I was fucking furious with that last night, he was waiting to see if Suarez got near the ball before putting his flag up but as Willy got there first he decided not to, how a throw in to them 30 yards from goal is an advantage to us from a player offside i'll never know, corrupt as fuck last night and only our actual brilliance got us the result.

 

[Don Karleone]

Also the Sterling pen is very difficult to see

I see what you mean

 

[jim]

The amount of times Barca were allowed to stop a break by a cynical foul on the halfway line was what really got my goat.

 

[lancs blue]

The ref made some curious decisions - carded Sterling when I thought it was likely a penalty and at best a non-call; didn't book one of Barca's defenders (I forget whom) early on when he took a tactical foul; Busquets seemed to get away with murder before finally drawing a foul.

But I don't think he was a cheat or was pro-Barca.

He could have easily given hand ball against Aguero (assuming that he even saw the play) and could have given a penalty for the challenge against Messi in our box (though this was no way a penalty).

My take - bad night for the ref; but we won in the end on our own merit, overcoming his questionable calls.

Aguero's arm was in a natural position close to his side when the ball struck him (leaving aside the fact that I thought he'd been fouled as the initial cross came over).

The Digne situation was the one that got me raging, at least three bookable offences in the first hour and not one yellow and then if I'm not mistaken he kicked the ball away late on to add insult to injury.

 

[Terra Passenger]

Aguero's arm was in a natural position close to his side when the ball struck him (leaving aside the fact that I thought he'd been fouled as the initial cross came over).

The Digne situation was the one that got me raging, at least three bookable offences in the first hour and not one yellow and then if I'm not mistaken he kicked the ball away late on to add insult to injury.

Can't argue with this. A poor performance by the ref. But to accuse him of intentionally cheating is stretching matters IMO.

If he were trying to cheat, he'd have blown hand ball on Aguero (assuming once more that he even saw the play).