Michael Oliver set for Premier League return after Gianluigi Buffon controversy

Published on: 16 April 2018

The FC panel examine the biggest moments between Real Madrid and Juventus, including the late penalty for Real Madrid, Gianluigi Buffon's red card and more. Gianluigi Buffon didn't hold back when asked about the penalty decision at the end of the match that gave Cristiano Ronaldo the opportunity to squash Juventus' comeback. Cristiano Ronaldo scored an added-time penalty to send Real Madrid through to the semi-finals of the Champions League despite a remarkable comeback from Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Michael Oliver will referee West Ham's Premier League game against Stoke on Monday as he returns to officiating after receiving abuse for awarding the controversial late penalty with which Real Madrid knocked Juventus out of the Champions League.

Sky Sports reported that Oliver, whose wife Lucy received threats on social media, will officiate after saying that he wanted to return to action as quickly as possible.

It said the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the organisation responsible for Premier League referees, had been in contact with Oliver to see whether he wanted to take a break from Premier League refereeing.

On Saturday, Oliver -- who has been backed by fellow officials and players -- served as fourth official in Huddersfield's win over Watford.

Referee Michael Oliver sends off Gianluigi Buffon after awarding the penalty.

He found himself at the centre of a storm when he awarded the last-minute penalty to Madrid and was heavily criticised by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was sent off in the aftermath of the decision.

The Juventus goalkeeper told reporters after the match that Oliver had "a garbage bin for a heart."

The BBC reported that Oliver's wife Lucy -- a Women's Super League referee -- had received threatening text messages after her mobile number was posted on social media.

Buffon said on Saturday that he "stands by everything he said" about Oliver, but added that he "would use different tones."

Follow @ESPNFC on Twitter to keep up with the latest football updates.

Comments

Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on ESPN's media platforms. Learn more.

Source: espn.co.uk

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more