Are we unlucky with referees in UCL?

Giggsyking

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Over the years we came across many referee decisions that did a big impact on the game and all resulted in us leaving the champions league in knockout stages.

And you ask a united supporter the first incident that comes in mind is the Nani sending off against Real Madrid in 2013




So many argued that it was a not a red card and it was a bad decision and at max should be a yellow card. But the game went on and we lost after playing with 10 men in 35 mins.

But for me the one that I still feel angry about until this day the disallowed goal of Paul Scholes against Porto when we were leading 1-0 and 2-0 could have killed the game. If we had won this game we could have won our 3rd UCL that year.


But was these the most famous stupid referee decisions we have ever seen?
Sure No,

Luke Shaw's horror injury against Eindhoven is one of the worse referee decisions ever made.



We lost Shaw when he was on fire and affected our season and the game when we were 1-0 and sending off Moreno with a penalty could have sealed the game and our race in the group.

Is that all?
I can mention many important decisions were made against us like 2010 sending off of Rafael against Munich.



The Aldo Duscher against David Beckham and we lost him for the rest of the season, Duscher got only a yellow card for that reckless challenge and he was hailed as a national hero in Argentine for sending Beckham off the world cup.


Although we won against Deportivo but Beckhams loss did affect our CL when we got out in the semi-final against Leverkusen.

Do you remember any other big decisions in the UCL?
 
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hellohello

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Maybe slightly off topic, but I remember when Van Persie was sent off for Arsenal against Barcelona for kicking the ball away...

For the record I didn't think Nani's challenge was a red card, but it's not as clear-cut and he did give the referee a decision to make. People were also angry about De Jong's challenge on Alonso at the world cup that the referee didn't send him off.


Not always easy being a referee, they can only see it once.
 

Harry190

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The Scholes imaginary offside changed the course of modern European football. Still bullshit.

Some teams definitely get more luck with refs in the CL.
 

Bubz27

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Maybe slightly off topic, but I remember when Van Persie was sent off for Arsenal against Barcelona for kicking the ball away...

For the record I didn't think Nani's challenge was a red card, but it's not as clear-cut and he did give the referee a decision to make. People were also angry about De Jong's challenge on Alonso at the world cup that the referee didn't send him off.


Not always easy being a referee, they can only see it once.
You're not comparing Nani's attempt to control a ball against that assault are you?

To start with, De Jong was looking straight at Alonso.
 

Giggsyking

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this one changed the course of football for Guardiola.

While the the imaginary Scholes goal changed the course of football for Mourinho.

:D
 

charlenefan

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Chelsea would argue, ghost goal at Anfield, v Barca at home, I'm sure they'd point to others
 

hellohello

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You're not comparing Nani's attempt to control a ball against that assault are you?

To start with, De Jong was looking straight at Alonso.
I'm saying it's hard for referees to know and make the right decision. The referee can't know what's accidental and what's deliberate.

Like I said, I didn't think it was a red on Nani, and I was angry when it happened, was cheering for United at the time. However, much like Davis gave away a penalty against Juve, or Van Dyjk on Lamela against Spurs, players are supposed to know their surroundings or they can get punished. And raising your boot that high in that speed without being in control does give the referee a decision to make, and he gave a red, and although most people will disagree it was at least a yellow. Hardly a scandal imo
 

Bubz27

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I'm saying it's hard for referees to know and make the right decision. The referee can't know what's accidental and what's deliberate.

Like I said, I didn't think it was a red on Nani, and I was angry when it happened, was cheering for United at the time. However, much like Davis gave away a penalty against Juve, or Van Dyjk on Lamela against Spurs, players are supposed to know their surroundings or they can get punished. And raising your boot that high in that speed without being in control does give the referee a decision to make, and he gave a red, and although most people will disagree it was at least a yellow. Hardly a scandal imo
Fair, I do agree that he gave the referee a decision to make. But interestingly, both the examples you cite I don't think either even resulted in a booking let alone a penalty.

And I don't think any United fan ever argued it wasn't a foul and probably a yellow card. To get a red was quite outrageous imo.
 

Bubz27

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this one changed the course of football for Guardiola.

While the the imaginary Scholes goal changed the course of football for Mourinho.

:D
I know it's a separate point to this thread, but Guardiola with that Barca team probably still wouldve got to where he is now anyway.

Jose with a very unfancied Porto probably would never have got close to CL glory again. Whether his achievements still would've got him the Chelsea job, I'm not sure. They did still have the Uefa Cup from the previous season, so Jose already had decent pedigree.
 

Bubz27

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The examples in this thread point towards a general bias (be that conscious or otherwise) against English teams for refereeing decisions.
Most likely because most here watch more English teams in Europe?
 

Giggsyking

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I know it's a separate point to this thread, but Guardiola with that Barca team probably still wouldve got to where he is now anyway.

Jose with a very unfancied Porto probably would never have got close to CL glory again. Whether his achievements still would've got him the Chelsea job, I'm not sure. They did still have the Uefa Cup from the previous season, so Jose already had decent pedigree.
I dont think Jose taking Chelase could have happend if he had not won the UCL. It was hard removing Ranieri after he finished 2nd in the EPL ahead of utd and appoint Jose.
 

noodlehair

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The Rafael one still annoys me. Every other player was getting away with murder in that game. Then the ref chooses to send one player off for something that was barely a foul.

That's the sort f stuff I find more suspcious/odd than a terrible one off decision or mistake...when the ref seems to clearly choose to apply the rules differently to different players in the same game.
 

hellohello

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Fair, I do agree that he gave the referee a decision to make. But interestingly, both the examples you cite I don't think either even resulted in a booking let alone a penalty.

And I don't think any United fan ever argued it wasn't a foul and probably a yellow card. To get a red was quite outrageous imo.
Both situations resulted in penalties, but no yellows, possibly because of the relative new rule that it shouldn't be double punishment (card and penalty) if you attempt to play the ball (once again the ref need to guess the players intention).

And yeah, I remember most people argued a yellow, and it was a real shame since the momentum was with you. Bad decision by the referee and unlucky for Nani, a completely fair contest was ruined by an accidental incident the referee decided to take upon himself to judge harshly.
 

Bubz27

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Both situations resulted in penalties, but no yellows, possibly because of the relative new rule that it shouldn't be double punishment (card and penalty) if you attempt to play the ball (once again the ref need to guess the players intention).

And yeah, I remember most people argued a yellow, and it was a real shame since the momentum was with you. Bad decision by the referee and unlucky for Nani, a completely fair contest was ruined by an accidental incident the referee decided to take upon himself to judge harshly.
I totally meant to say they didn't result in yellows, let alone reds. But still, yeah I agree with you.
 

SwSw

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Nani vs RM has got to be the worst. It got me fuming for days. It felt like day light robbery.
 

Dominos

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The Rafael one still annoys me. Every other player was getting away with murder in that game. Then the ref chooses to send one player off for something that was barely a foul.

That's the sort f stuff I find more suspcious/odd than a terrible one off decision or mistake...when the ref seems to clearly choose to apply the rules differently to different players in the same game.
That doesn't mean it isn't a yellow card.

Rafael's was an almost textbook yellow card foul, purposely stopping a dangerous counterattack with no attempt at the ball. Baffled it still causes so much contraversy to this day.
 

JG3001

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Chelsea Barca 09. Always sticks with me as the first time I thought the CL was rigged. Conspiracy alert!

Realistically speaking they had 2 clear cut penalties denied and the ref was letting Barca get away with murder across the field, whilst any niggling tackle from a Chelsea player was immediately blown for a foul.

I was fuming with the Nani one as many others were at the time. But I can see why it was given even if I don’t agree with it.
 

JG3001

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Not the UCL, but this was laughable I remember it well :mad:. Absolutely laughable.

I was at that game sat at the opposite end of the pitch, we were all gobsmacked it wasn’t given. Everyone in the stadium bar the ref knew that was in the net.
 

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Darren Fletcher's red against arsenal. Understandable call from the ref. But for uefa not to let him play in the final was a joke when the decision was so clearly wrong
 

Giggsyking

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That doesn't mean it isn't a yellow card.

Rafael's was an almost textbook yellow card foul, purposely stopping a dangerous counterattack with no attempt at the ball. Baffled it still causes so much contraversy to this day.
I think everybody at the time was discussing more the case of the first yellow card and the ref should have been a bit lighter in the second one.
 

noodlehair

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That doesn't mean it isn't a yellow card.

Rafael's was an almost textbook yellow card foul, purposely stopping a dangerous counterattack with no attempt at the ball. Baffled it still causes so much contraversy to this day.
It caused controversy due to the number of similar incidents in the same game the ref deemed not to be worthy of yellow cards.

Going by your own argument Van Bommel would have been sent pff twice over in the same game. Mistakes or one off decisions are one thing...the rules being applied differently by the same ref in the same game is another.
 

grahamo

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Scholes disallowed goal. United would have won the CL that year. We've been robbed a few times over the years. UEFA are just as crooked as FIFA. I honestly believe they CL is rigged.
 

Dominos

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It caused controversy due to the number of similar incidents in the same game the ref deemed not to be worthy of yellow cards.

Going by your own argument Van Bommel would have been sent pff twice over in the same game. Mistakes or one off decisions are one thing...the rules being applied differently by the same ref in the same game is another.
That narrative of the game is new to me. I remember some complaints that they were nibbling at Rooney's ankle because they knew it was already injured. The idea they were repeatedly committing textbook yellows to break up our counter attacks is not one I can recall seeing mentioned. Most of the moaning on here is about how it was never a yellow and the Bayern players pressuring the ref ("typical Germans") made it one.

If the argument is that Bayern got away with several yellow cards that night, then that may well be the case, I'd have to rewatch it. If the argument is that Rafael's foul wasn't a yellow, then that's just wrong.
 

Catt

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Chelsea Barca 09. Always sticks with me as the first time I thought the CL was rigged. Conspiracy alert!

Realistically speaking they had 2 clear cut penalties denied and the ref was letting Barca get away with murder across the field, whilst any niggling tackle from a Chelsea player was immediately blown for a foul.

I was fuming with the Nani one as many others were at the time. But I can see why it was given even if I don’t agree with it.
Tbh I think that was rigged.
 

Peyroteo

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Van Nistelrooy fouled Pedro Emanuel before Scholes scored, awful decision by the ref anyway but United only have themselves to blame for that one. Porto should have never went through.