Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon blasted referee Michael Oliver for ‘losing the plot’ and having ‘a trash can in place of a heart’.
The clearly emotive Italian was speaking in the aftermath of his late red card and Juve’s elimination against Real Madrid, following a controversial last-gasp penalty decision.
“I did not say anything strange,” Buffon insisted after the match, on Sky Sport Italia.
“The referee lost the plot, I accept that. I won’t accept that a referee is in charge of a game like this with two such high-profile teams and doesn’t have the character, courage or ability to make calm decisions.
“He was clearly unprepared. Giving a penalty like that, after a memorable match, sending off someone who has never been red carded for dissent in his life in my final game is simply not acceptable.
“If you do that, then you are an animal, you have a rubbish bin in place of a heart. We did something epic this evening and the performance was heroic.
“I have unbridled pride at being captain of these lads.”
