Pogue, I think it's odd that you're giving Mascherano the benefit of the doubt and not Ronaldo. (Maybe you've addressed this elsewhere in this thread, but it's too long for me to read through all of it.) It's obvious that Pique had no interest in playing the ball, but Ronaldo probably went down easily. However, when you see a close up of Mascerhano, what he did was exactly the same as Ron. He threw himself to the ground at the slightest contact, look how his left leg stops functioning despite it being the right, if any, that is touched. Either it's a free kick to Ron, or it's a free kick against him for diving, or it's a free kick to none of them and the goal stands. I think free kick for touching Mascherano would be the worst decision of those four possibilities.
The free kick to Puyol robbing RM of a huge opportunity was probably an even worse decision. Two huge calls against RM. Barcelona were the better team, but had lots of luck as well.
there is absolutely no justification for a freekick to Barcelona, as long as you accept that Ronaldo was originally fouled and the momentum of his fall was a result of that foul.
Surely this is obvious? You'd be mental to argue that you can give a free kick against someone who is fouled because they in turn land on someone else? Surely the thing argued is that because Ron dived of his own free will, it can be a free kick against him for landing on Mascherano?
Oh wait, I just saw this:
Either way, it was pure fluke that he landed on Mascherano IMO. Still a foul, mind.
Do you honestly mean it's a foul whether or not Ron dived? Or do you mean "it's a foul cause he dived". The latter is sane, the former insane.