"In the first match we were not given a penalty, tonight the referee had the cynicism to destroy a team's dream. I don't know if he did it out of a whim or out of a lack of personality, but a human being cannot decide the elimination of a team. Such a person, instead of a heart, has a trash can. If you can't be on the field in a match like this, sit in the stands with your wife and daughter, with juices and drinks. Real Madrid deserved it, but the referee should have had the sensitivity to understand the catastrophe he was causing."
These, in summary, were the statements of Gigi Buffon on the evening of April 11, 2018 at the Santiago Bernabeu. The second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals had just ended and his Juventus, who had lost the first leg 0-3, had managed to equalize the score at Real Madrid's home, sending Zidane's team into extra time. But in extra time, the English referee Oliver — the protagonist of Buffon's verbal attacks — awarded a penalty for a foul by Benatia on Cristiano Ronaldo. The decision, which seemed fair to most, angered the black and white captain, who was punished with a red card and would later explode in the famous statement that remained unforgettable. Years later, Buffon would have the opportunity to return to this event and apologize, but since then Oliver has been synonymous with someone who has "a trash can instead of a heart."
UEFA has appointed him for Real Madrid-Inter and so there will be another clash between the English referee and an Italian team at the Bernabeu, eight and a half years later. So far there have been five Real Madrid matches refereed by Oliver, with a balance of three wins and two losses. The trio of referees for Tuesday night's match will be entirely British: along with Oliver will be wingers Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, while Sam Barrott will be the fourth official. In the VAR room, Scot Andrew Dallas will operate, assisted by Englishman Michael Salisbury. With the hope that everything goes well and no one is invited to go to the stands to enjoy the juices. Whatever they are.
