I'm not normally into conspiracy theories but the leniency of the referee in the penalty area screams out Italian football and referees.  This is fixed.  I didn't expect Celtic to progress but the ref cannot fail to see such blatant penalties.  It's not one decision that he's missed and Celtic have to take their chances but I really do believe the ref has been paid off.

Wouldn't like to comment on whether money changed hands but it really was quite extraordinary.  Two different players got booked and then immediately blatently fouled the players they were marking.  The referee couldn't help but see that.  I think there is always too much holding and pushing in the box but this was quite a different order of magnitude.There can be no question that Celtic should have had a couple of penalties and Juventus should have had 2 defenders shown red cards.

 

I don't like Brown as a player but I have to say that when he was booked for his part of the pushing and shoving I couldn't see he was doing anything wrong - he was simply trying to find space.  It was a bit like watching American "football" at times.  For once the ginger whinger can whinge all he wants.

 

....if only Ambrose had been in the Celtic side on Saturday!

I think the reason there was no penalties was because the majority of the pushing, if not all of it, was because it was before the ball was live.  

What's that got to do with it?  If someone punched an opponent in the face when the ball was dead would the referee ignore that too? 

No he would and should (and maybe should have) deal with it(or dealt with it in this case) accordingly.  A new free kick or penalty though can't be given though until the ball is live.

 

I was at a game once where something like your scenario happened.  In the build up to a corner, one the defending team's players, basically clothes-lined WWF style one of the opposition and he was sent off before the corner was taken.  While it was a foul in the box, a penalty couldn't be awarded due to the fact that the ball wasn't live.

Edited February 12, 201313 yr by Renegade

Karma. After the game Saturday Lennon was jumping up and down with delight, patting himself on the back, glorifying his victory against us.  He won the battle against us, but was Juanjoed last night.

Have a look again, Renegade.  Hooper is clearly fouled, including being thrown in the back of the net and pushed beyond the six-yard line, whilst the ball is live.  Are you seriously saying the ref performed well and balanced and you would be happy for ICT to be on the receiving end?

 

The ref is also entitled to send off a player at any time.  Have a look again at when Leichsteiner (and amazingly Hooper) is booked.  Then, right in front of the ref, he manhandles Hooper twice before the ball is kicked, then wraps his arms around him, shoving him metres out of the way during play.  Clear red cards and penalties.  And it didn't stop there.

 

I've never been a Celtic fan (although support Scottish clubs in Europe) but this is something rotten.  There is no way the ref can book a player, then for it to happen multiple times again, yet completely ignore it.  If it was a difference in styles, then no booking.  No telling off.  But it's not.  I have no problem with Celtic losing but this is plain wrong.  I say again, it looks fixed to me.

I'm glad Juve won. Now Celtic fans can shut up about winning the CL just because they beat Barcelona.

 

Oh and if I remember right they were very very lucky to win.

Have a look again, Renegade.  Hooper is clearly fouled, including being thrown in the back of the net and pushed beyond the six-yard line, whilst the ball is live.  Are you seriously saying the ref performed well and balanced and you would be happy for ICT to be on the receiving end?

 

The ref is also entitled to send off a player at any time.  Have a look again at when Leichsteiner (and amazingly Hooper) is booked.  Then, right in front of the ref, he manhandles Hooper twice before the ball is kicked, then wraps his arms around him, shoving him metres out of the way during play.  Clear red cards and penalties.  And it didn't stop there.

 

I've never been a Celtic fan (although support Scottish clubs in Europe) but this is something rotten.  There is no way the ref can book a player, then for it to happen multiple times again, yet completely ignore it.  If it was a difference in styles, then no booking.  No telling off.  But it's not.  I have no problem with Celtic losing but this is plain wrong.  I say again, it looks fixed to me.

 

That was the one that could have been a penalty, but it would have made little difference to the outcome (or none had Ambrose taken it!  ).  In saying that though, Hooper could have stood somewhere else, and arguable was there to impede Buffon, which in itself is a foul.

 

Also, the first Juve wasn't given when it initially crossed the line.  Had the ball then been cleared then it would not have been given.  To me that suggests it was no fix.

Edited February 13, 201313 yr by Renegade

Someone needed to silence Celtic, whether the ref was paid or not.

I don't think that particular Spanish ref needs to be paid for performing crap. He simply can't do better, he never could. Just remember Germany vs Serbia at the last World Cup. I'd rather think that he PAID a lot to rise up to that stage...