Madrid press blames refs for Real ouster

Madrid-based newspapers joined Real players yesterday in voicing outrage over what they said was favouritism by the referees toward Barcelona in the two legs of their Champions League semi-final. “It was Mission Impossible,” headlined the sports daily Marca. “Another bad refereeing decision frustrates Madrid’s comeback.” Belgian ref Frank “de Bleeckere clearly harmed Madrid with the score at 0-0” by ruling out “a goal that could have changed the whole outcome.” Its Madrid-based rival AS said “De Bleeckere canceled a legitimate goal by (Gonzalo) Higuain that would have put Madrid ahead.” It conceded that Barcelona “played better football... However, we are left not knowing how it would have dealt with the disadvantage of being a goal down in the 46th minute.” The two arch-rivals drew 1-1 the Champions League semi-final second leg match at Camp Nou, giving Barca a 3-1 aggregate and a place in the final at Wembley. But De Bleeckere ruled out a goal by Argentine striker Higuain early in the second-half. He decided that Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo had fouled Javier Mascherano in the lead-up, even though Barca defender Gerard Pique had pushed Ronaldo initially. Had the goal stood it would have given Real a 1-0 lead in the game and a real chance of progressing at Barca’s expense. De Bleeckere was one of several referees to be targeted in an outburst by Real coach Jose Mourinho following the first leg last week. “The referee as an obstacle,” headlined the ABC newspaper. “Mourinho was right.” But Barcelona-based papers took a different view. “To Wembley!” was the front-page headline in the Mundo Deportivo sports daily. “Barca, the just finalist, against a Madrid team that once again claims victimisation.” “Goodbye Madrid! We’re going to Wembley,” said the Barcelona daily Sport. “An intelligent Barca buries the myth of Mourinho.” After a bad-tempered first leg last week, Mourinho lashed out at the German referee Wolfgang Stark, in particular for issuing a straight red card to centre-back Pepe for a tackle on Dani Alves. He said the sanction was another example of referees’s bias toward Barca. De Bleeckere’s “error gave more fuel to those who denounce favoritism by referees toward Barcelona,” said AS. “Last night we had the latest example, much more clear and decisive that the expulsion of Pepe. From this point of view, it was the worst thing for football.” Ronaldo said: “We knew what was going to happen. We were used to it after the first leg. Higuain’s goal was fine. “There was nothing wrong with the goal, that could have altered the course of the match but the referee didn’t want to see it that way. “Those who know about football know that Barcelona are very well protected. We just have to live with these injustices,” added the Portuguese. Real goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas said “the referees have shot us.. They’ve robbed us of the final.”