Daily Dispatch

Bitter Ancelotti presses for the ‘third eye’ ref

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BAYERN Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti said Uefa must swiftly introduce video technology after the Germans lost a controvers­ial Champions League quarterfin­al second leg to Real Madrid in extra time on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to become the first man to score 100 Champions League goals as holders Madrid completed a 4-2 win, going through 6-3 on aggregate.

However, the Portuguese’s second and third goals were offside, while visitors Bayern had Arturo Vidal sent off five minutes from the end of normal time.

“I think we deserved more,” fumed Ancelotti. “There are decisions that have penalised us a lot.

“The [red] card for Arturo wasn’t a card and then the two goals from Cristiano are offside so clearly we are not happy.

“In a quarterfin­al you have to put a better referee, or it is the moment to introduce video refereeing, which is what Uefa are trying, because there are too many errors.”

Bayern have now been eliminated in four straight seasons by Spanish sides.

But they threatened to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit as Robert Lewandowsk­i’s penalty and Sergio Ramos’s own goal either side of Ronaldo’s first took the game to extra time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Bayern’s numerical disadvanta­ge told after Vidal saw his second yellow card and Ronaldo made the most of an assistant referee’s leniency to complete his hattrick.

The 21-year-old Marco Asensio rounded off the scoring with a sensationa­l solo effort.

“If the referee didn’t make mistakes we don’t know what would have happened,” added Ancelotti, who was returning to the Bernabeu for the first time since being sacked as Real boss in 2015.

“Many times in decisions there are doubts, here there is no doubt. You didn’t need a replay to see Arturo touched the ball.”

Madrid boss and Ancelotti’s former assistant Zinedine Zidane had a different version of events as both Bayern’s goals also came about in controvers­ial fashion.

Casemiro was harshly penalised when Arjen Robben tumbled inside the Madrid box, while Lewandowsk­i was also offside in the build-up to Ramos’s own goal.

“The referee has a hard job,” said Zidane.

“They have told me their second goal was also offside. It goes both ways, that is football.”

Madrid were once again grateful to Ronaldo’s killer touch as the four-time World Player of the Year was pivotal in both legs against Bayern.

And the Portuguese once again rounded on his critics after a restless crowd got on his back for an error-strewn first-half display.

“The only thing I ask is that they don’t boo me because I give my best in every game,” said Ronaldo.

“Although I don’t always score, I always work hard and try to help Real Madrid.”

Victory also secured history on a collective level for Madrid as they reached the semifinals for a record seventh straight year.

“To score six goals against a team like Bayern Munich isn’t easy, so we deserved to go through,” added Ronaldo.

“In the end he shows what he can do on the pitch, what very few players can do,”said Zidane in defence of his star man. — AFP very

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