'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Being a referee isn’t an easy job. You get criticised for every little error you make and get next to no recognition for the ones you get right.The reluctance of FIFA to bring in a video review system into the game has led to some high profile errors over the years. Some of these decisions leave a side playing with a man down and its fans with a bad taste in their mouths.Here are the 5 most unfair sending offs in modern day football that changed the game.
#5 Frank Lampard vs. Liverpool
Liverpool and Chelsea met in February of 2009 for a fiery encounter with a lot at stake for both teams.
On the hour mark, with the score still level at 0-0, referee Mike Riley dismissed Frank Lampard after a tackle on Xabi Alonso. Replays of the incident suggested that the midfielder had won the ball first and it was Alonso who made contact with the Chelsea player's shin.
Too bad the referee couldn’t see those replays and review his decision. Lampard was off and Chelsea had to make do with 10 men for the remaining 30 minutes. Fernando Torres made Chelsea pay by scoring 2 late goals to put Liverpool’s title challenge back on track.
After a successful appeal, the FA rescinded the red card shown to the England international but that is of little consolation to Chelsea whose title hopes all but ended after that defeat.
#4 Jens Lehmann vs. Barcelona
It was the biggest stage in club football, the Champions League final. Arsenal met Barcelona in what promised to be a great spectacle.
In the 18th minute, Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann brought down Samuel Eto'o just outside the box denying him a clear goal scoring opportunity. Ludovic Giuly went on to score the follow through but instead of letting the goal stand and showing a yellow card, the referee sent him off. In doing so, Lehmann became the first player to be sent off in a European Cup final.
The Gunners battled on and defied the odds to take the lead in the 37th minute, but playing with 10 men for over 70 minutes was too much to ask. Barcelona eventually capitalized on their man advantage to score 2 goals in the final 15 minutes and went on to be crowned European champions.
Referee Terje Hauge later admitted that he acted too hastily in sending Lehmann off."The ideal thing would have been to wait a few seconds," he said. "If I'd done that, I could have given the goal and eventually given a yellow card. Of course everyone wants a goal, so this was a key situation."
This admission only makes things worse for Arsenal fans.
#3 Pepe vs. Barcelona
It was the 1st leg of the Champions league Semi final between Real Madrid and arch rivals Barcelona. Portuguese defender pepe was deployed as a defensive midfielder and had done a great job to keep Lionel Messi quiet.
It looked as if neither team would ever score. Then came a moment that radically altered the course the game. In the 60th minute, Pepe went in for a fifty-fifty ball with Dani Alves. Pepe’s studs were up and Alves dropped to the floor screaming in agony.
Television replays showed that Pepe touched the ball and did not touch Alves. It looked a dangerous tackle and deserved a yellow card at the most but referee Wolfgang Stark, under pressure from Barcelona players, decided to send him off.
The decision was too harsh.
Without Pepe's close attention, Messi had the freedom to move within Madrid's line of defence which lead him to score two goals in the last 15 minutes to take a 2-0 lead into the second leg.
Had the referee made the right decision, who knows, maybe it would’ve been Madrid who lifted the trophy instead of eventual champions Barcelona.
#2 Nani vs. Real Madrid
In the 2013 Champions League knock out stage, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford with the tie evenly poised at 1-1.
However, his return was overshadowed by a controversial decision taken by referee Cuneyt Cakir.
In the 56th minute United were leading 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate when Nani raised his foot high while trying to control a ball and connected with Alvaro Arbeloa's ribs. Although it was a dangerous challenge, Nani had eyes only for the ball and had no intent to hurt his opponent. A yellow card would’ve sufficed, but to the shock of the home crowd he was instead sent off.
Real used their numerical advantage to take control of the game and scored two goals in quick succession to go through 3-2 on aggregate.
So distraught was he at the manner of United’s exit that Sir Alex Ferguson refused to address the post match press conference.
#1 Robin van Persie vs. Barcelona
In the 2011 Champions League Round of 16 tie, Arsenal took a slender 2-1 advantage to the Nou Camp.
The game was beautifully poised at 1-1 on the night. Arsenal led 3-2 on aggregate and knew that if they held on, they were on their way to causing a huge upset. Then came one of the most ridiculous sending-offs in the history of football.
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, who had been booked for an earlier foul on Dani Alves, was flagged offside but was unable to hear the referees whistle and went on to take a shot at goal.
This prompted Swiss referee Massimo Busacca to produce a second yellow card and send him off. A harmless offside call changed the complexion of the whole game.
The Spanish side made the most of their man advantage and went on to score 2 goals to seal their progress 4-3 on aggregate. Barcelona was the better side in the game and maybe the sending off wouldn’t have mattered but that won’t stop Arsenal fans from feeling like they were robbed.
