UEFA ordered referee to cheat?

Jose Bosingwa says he regrets calling referee Tom Henning Ovrebo a thief following Chelsea's acrimonious Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Barcelona. The Portugal defender had claimed a refereeing 'conspiracy' cost his team a place in the Rome final after the Blues were denied four separate penalty claims in the second leg at Stamford Bridge last night. A 93rd-minute Andres Iniesta saw Barcelona draw 1-1 and claim an away-goals victory, prompting an angry Bosingwa to tell Portuguese broadcaster RTP: 'It seems he (the referee) was told to be against Chelsea.

[source: www.dailymail.co.uk...]

This match was one of the most watched this season, however, there was something sinister about it. During the matches, the referee dismissed at least 3 strong claims for penalties (for chelsea). After this match Bosingwa (a Chelsea player) claimed that UEFA did not want another All-English final so they instructed the referee to act as he did. It wouldn't suprise me if it was true because Platini (UEFA president) has on several occassions criticised the english teams.

What do you guys think? Could Ovrebo have been under the instructions of UEFA?

PS: Check out these youtube videos:

I think it could be possible. I wouldn't be surprised if there is more finagling of sporting events because the owners and others get money from revenue of big name teams playing one another. I bet MLB hated Tampa Bay and Philadelphia playing in the World Series last year!

While talking about soccer, I've been watching a little soccer here and there since I moved over here to Germany and I must say that I think it's stupid the way that the Europeans run their soccer tournaments. It's so dumb that in both of these games, Chelsea and Barca played to ties and Barca gets to go to the final because they scored a goal on the road. Why do they need to play in each teams field too? It's not like you get any real advantage playing away from your place.

While I do agree that the ref was a bit dodgy I don't think UEFA had a conspiracy against Chelsea. After all he did send off a Barcelona player for a foul he didn't commit which gave an advantage to Chelsea.
I might be a bit biased though since I'm a Man U fan and wanted Barca in the final haha

Cheers

referee made some mistakes. in fact there sholud be one penalty for chelsea but on another side the red card for the barcelona player was given without the reason. so in resume the referee had no quality for the game on that level but the score was fair enough (especially if you take into the consideration first game as well). UEFA for sure did not made any pressure on referee to act this or that way but obviously they prefer the score as it is.

i remember that match, it was discusting how the reff treated chealse, and i do agree that UEFA dont want to have another chealse man u final.

The away goal is one of the worse rules i have ever seen, it makes no sence! what is the point of playing two legs if it only matters on away goals?

Having said that, to all the chelsea fans, they played well, considering the amount of penalties they should of had, and only concieving one goal in the last minute, just shows how good a team they are.

On reff coruption, its nothing new. The reff for that match hated english people, that is why i recon he got chose. If UEFA bribed a reff, they could get into serious trouble if found. But if they get a rasist reff, then it is not UEFA that get the blaim, but just the reff.

ps, excuse the herendous spelling

I am a Liverpool fan, I have to agree the Ref did a bad job here, and its obvious that a lot of European clubs are pissed off at the rate Premiership teams are pushing them aside in the European competitions, you only have to look at the last 4 in the competitions over the years, but that is because IMO the Premiership is in a class of its own, a whole different game from the continental style, I think some countries play lazy football, they hate playing top Premiership teams, they have to up their game a lot just to stay in the game.

I wanted Barca to go through, but I do think Chelsea where robbed by bad Refereeing, as to it being a UEFA conspiracy, I don't think they are that stupid to be honest, I can see in the not too distant future, the end to the two leg games, and these games being played like the Final at a neutral ground, get the leg over with in one game in one of the huge stadiums dotted around Europe to get the pay day expected by the clubs.

Drogba although out of order on live TV, had a point to be angry, and you could see the panel in the studio where a little stunned at the referee and his decisions, a stunned silence you could say, I think a lot of questions need to be asked now, and the ref banned from this kind of game until he can do the job right, IMO the ref was wrong on several occasions, its bad refereeing like that, which will bring about instant reply rules, which have no place in football at all, European Football does not need gimmicks, that's why its the best game on the Planet IMO.

UEFA and FIFA have always been against English teams, they resent us for having invented the game in the first place.

It wouldn't be the first time an English team have had to play against more than the other team, anyone else remember the Leeds United vs Bayern Munich European Cup Final?

After the game people said the ref was bent and had fixed the game, it was denied at the time and swept under the carpet, but then years later it turned out the ref was bent for that game and had robbed Leeds of a deserved win!

All the other trouble that affects the game, other countries get away with it, the English get banned or fined.

Originally posted by octotom
Why do they need to play in each teams field too? It's not like you get any real advantage playing away from your place.

How about 60.000+ fans from the hometown being at the game? It will be an advantage. Soccer is a game of town against town and country against country, i dont know how it works with baseball or any other typical American sport, but this is how it goes in soccer.

Here's a lot better vid:


www.youtube.com...

OMG, that's just out of order!
First one at 2:55. All 4 clips are on there.

Samuel

reply to post by Cygnific

How about 60.000+ fans from the hometown being at the game? It will be an advantage. Soccer is a game of town against town and country against country, i dont know how it works with baseball or any other typical American sport, but this is how it goes in soccer.

In American Football, you play one game in the playoffs, if you don't play on your home field, you have to get over it because if you lose, your done. To a professional, it's not going to matter where they play because, the team that is playing the best is going to win.

In baseball or basketball, you play a series of games with the winner of the most games in the series going on. But, the visiting team doesn't get "special" points because they scored on the road. Since they're pros, they should be able to score on the moon if they have to.

Maybe UEFA did not want two English teams in the finals again. I happened to watch the game and the referee certainly did not appear to be unbiased.

I am very suspicious of Platini, he seemes to always criticise the English side of the game.. there's something deeper here. He is always going on about how he wants to limit the number of foreign players in each team. If this was done, the Champions League and UEFA cup would be MUCH more competitive.

UEFA and Platini in particular hate England and the last thing they wanted was another all-English final.
English clubs have dominated this competition recently and Platini absolutely despises this.
I wouldn't be suprised if they made every effort to ensure that Chelsea failed to qualify.

This would not be the first time this has happened to an English club in Europe,
en.wikipedia.org...

I sincerely hope that we do not see a repeat in Rome as I am pretty certain carnage would follow, resulting in Platini getting his wish and English clubs being banned.


Edit to add:

Ovrebo was sent home from Euro 2008 for poor refereeing decisions yet still get's selected to ref major games, why?
He has been pre-selected for the 2010 World Cup.
Shocking to say the least.
en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 12/5/09 by Freeborn]

That match was awful, the ref was terrible and yes it may have cost Chelsea a spot, but you know what? Tough! Thats football for you, every match always has poor refereeing incidents that could be argued cost the game. It happens in World Cups too, Italy may never of got through if the ref made the right call instead of a wrong one. Did people actually watch the first leg of that semi, it was just as awful, but Barca did not carry on like Chelsea did. I dont think the ref was told to cheat i just think he was a poor ref and needs to be punished, but more importantly the likes of Drogba, Ballack and Terry all need to be punished aswell.
Its fine to say Platini has a problem with the FA, and he has a point, there is too much money in the premier league but instead of limiting the number of foriegn players like he would like the best course of action is to drop a team from the automatic qualifications to Europe, not 4 but 3 teams. I would not complain if this happened.

I think it all falls under the heading of entertainment.
The players are paid 'movie-star'-like wages, the officials
of the games parade with an air of pompous authority
and the pundits wind up the excitement to hope the viewer
will watch avidly that damn box in the corner!

My view? a little cynical I guess, but it does smack of
soap-opera continuity.

[edit on 13-5-2009 by A boy in a dress]

After last night can anyone still doubt the corruption in the Champions League? Yet again Barcelona go through after a frankly bizarre refereeing decision that only came after Arsenal had got their noses in front.

Drogba had it right.

reply to post by MarrsAttax


Amen. That was a terrible call. One second. They timed it. One second from the whistle to the kick. I would be talking mad trash to the press afterward if I were Van Percy.

Even in the first half the ref was giving out cards like crazy. I will admit some were deserved, but it seems they usually let the game flow more.

It is a shame too it was turning into one of the great games. Barca probably would have scored again even with Van P., but at least with him Arsenal might have been able to get back into it. I hate when great play is ruined by bad refereeing. I guess you get what you pay for...

Platini and Blatter do seem to have and anti 'english' agenda, and their organisation has itself had many allegations of corruption levelled against them