Owen Hargreaves labelled Real Madrid and Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarter final as a game ‘decided by referees’, following a series of officiating errors at the Bernabeu.
There were a number of controversial decisions as Real’s progressed into the Champions League semi-final with a 4-2 win over Bayern (6-3 agg), with the game secured by three goals in extra time.
Arturo Vidal got a harsh second yellow card in the 84th minute for a tackle that clearly won the ball from Marco Asensio. Then in in extra-time Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice with both goals coming from what were proved to be offside positions.
It left Hargreaves, a former Champions League winner with Bayern, incredulous in the BT Sport studio.
He said: ‘Why do we not have technology in football? For a game of this magnitude I really don’t understand it, a game between two the greatest teams in the Champions League is decided, ultimately, by a group of referees.
‘I find it unacceptable at this level to have decisions, that many big ones, go the wrong way.
‘Cristiano Ronaldo gets a hat-trick and will get the headlines but this game was decided, ultimately, by the referees. They played a bigger part than Bayern Munich or Real Madrid did.’
On the Vidal sending off in particular, Hargreaves view was certain. Adding: ‘I’m not sure how he has given a yellow card for that, it’s not even a foul. [Vidal] clearly plays the ball.
‘Awful decision which ended up deciding the game, Bayern down to 10 men changed everything. At that point Bayern were the better team in the second half.’
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