This week, Turin's "Juventus" and Italian football legend Gianluigi Buffon made headlines when he didn't hesitate to criticize referee Michael Oliver in the Champions League match in Madrid. In the match against "Real," a controversial penalty awarded by the Englishman at the end of the game dashed Italian hopes of reaching the semifinals. After the match, G.Buffon stated: "A high-level referee will not destroy the dreams of a team that has given all its energy on the field. He wanted to become the main character of the match. A person cannot officiate any longer after such a questionable incident, unless they have a garbage bin instead of a heart. If you lack personality traits, you should sit in the stands and eat snacks with your family. This referee lacks the courage or personality to work at this level." In Europe, the veteran faced criticism for allegedly needing to speak more respectfully about the referee, but Buffon insisted he has no regrets. "I had to say it, even if it damaged my reputation. I will not retract my words, because I am a person who shows emotions on the field - passion and anger. I will not hide behind hypocrisy and suppress what boils inside me. Maybe now I would use different words, but the content would remain the same - I am willing to defend my thoughts. A more experienced referee would have allowed the teams to clarify their relationship during extra time. I am sure that Oliver will have a great career in the future, but for now he is too young (33 years old - ed. note). The situation became too complicated for the referee and he found it difficult to handle. In conclusion, I don't hold a grudge against Michael, everything is settled now. But at that moment, I felt surrounded, as we could have rewritten the history of "Juventus" and Italian football. Our victory with "Roma" would have been simply unforgettable," Buffon insisted.
