Franck De Bleekere was spot on with the decision to disallow Gonzalo Higuain’s goal. The referee blew the whistle just before the striker put the ball in goal because a tumbling Cristiano Ronaldo took down Mascherano from behind while on his way to intercepting the ball from Higuain.
If you look carefully, as CR7 falls his elbow comes down on Masch’s right foot. There is solid contact and the Argentinian goes down and milks it a few times. On this occasion there is no arguing he was impeded. Where Bleekere made a mistake in not awarding a free kick when Pique barged into CR7 kick starting this controversial chain of events.
As is his wont, CR7 was a bit distraught. “It was better not to have come” and “Next time give the cup directly to Barcelona.” He had a bit about Mascherano. ” In England you could never throw him down, here he was dying everytime you touched him”.
He has a point; clearly Mascherano was Barca’s candidate for the hall of shame. But Real had their red card candidates in Carvalho, Adebayor and Diarra all who miraculously survived.
Real were far more attacking this leg but never seriously threatened except at the very beginning and another 10 minute spell in the seond half. The goal conceded by Barca was a result of them getting too cute. The Catalans were the superior team by far and they deserve to go to the Champions League finals. Fans can now cleanse themselves of all the fecal matter thrown by both clubs. We’ll get to see a real football final without Mourinho’s insane clown posse.
On a sidenote it was heartwarming to see the standing ovation given to Eric Abidal who came on in the last minute. He was sidelined following surgery to remove a tumour on his liver.