Buffon finally banned for tirade at ref Oliver
GIANLUIGI BUFFON has been banned for three matches for his red card and outburst at referee michael oliver after Juventus’s Champions League quarter-final defeat by real madrid.
The goalkeeper was dismissed when he aggressively confronted the Premier League official following an injury- time penalty awarded against his side, which led to real’s winning goal.
Buffon then launched a verbal attack when he said that oliver had ‘a rubbish bin where his heart should be’. The referee and his wife, Lucy, were the subject of online abuse and had to be offered police support.
But UEFA have finally acted to punish the 40-year-old, who has since left Juventus but will be banned for three games should his new club take part in european competition next season. The ban is one game for his red card and two for breaching UEFA ‘general principles of conduct’.
Buffon spoke about the incident after being hit with the UEFA charge last month.
‘i still don’t understand why the referee sent me off — and you, rather than focusing on my comments, should look at behaviour from the official that was not really consistent,’ he said.
‘i said a few days later that i went over the line. i was sorry to have offended the referee... he is a human being who does a very difficult job.
‘if i’d seen him two days later, i’d have hugged michael oliver and apologised, but also said he could have been a bit calmer in such an important game.’
Buffon was incensed when, with Juve having clawed back a three-goal deficit from the first leg, oliver pointed to the spot in the 93rd minute for mehdi Benatia’s challenge on Lucas Vazquez. Pundits and former referees said oliver was right to award the penalty, scored by Cristiano ronaldo after a delay during which Buffon was sent off.
meanwhile, roma fans have been fined £43,600 by UEFA and banned from selling tickets for their next two away games in europe. The move follows violence outside anfield before april’s Champions League semifinal which left Liverpool fan sean Cox in a critical condition.