Oliver will take charge of Cup final
MICHAEL OLIVER was put in charge of the FA Cup final yesterday and expressed his gratitude for the ‘humbling’ support since he was at the centre of the season’s biggest refereeing controversy. The FA have backed Oliver by picking him for the final between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley on May 19. The decision comes two weeks after he awarded a decisive penalty to Real Madrid and sent off Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in injury time of a Champions League quarterfinal. Buffon accused Oliver of having ‘a rubbish bin for a heart’. The 33-year-old and wife Lucy subsequently received death threats. ‘It was a weird few days,’ said Oliver yesterday. ‘But it was nice so many people were keen to offer support. It was quite
humbling, and it meant a lot. I had people coming up to me in the street, and people inside the game were sending me messages.’ On being given the Wembley showpiece, he added: ‘When you start, refereeing the FA Cup final is not something you even think about.’ The FA have confirmed that VAR will again be used for the final.