PAUL M wrote:
I was shocked when the ref gave the red, it looked a yellow and nothing more. The way the game was going and the complete reaction of the Barca players swayed the referee imo. Real's attitude to the game was poor but so was Barca's antics, disgraceful they way they chucked themselves about.
Barca's antics were disgraceful, but it seemed to me that it was RM that set out with the intention of turning the game into a niggly stop start affair. Barca responded to that but didnt instigate it. It seemed inevitable that a red card would stem from the ref running out of patience and feeling the need to issue a red to maintain control. Or "if the yellow cards dont work try a red" as Poll has said CL refs are instructed.
RM may feel aggrieved about the specific circumstances in which the red was issued, but they were more responsible for creating an atmosphere where a rash red card would be issued. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
