Referee Tom Ovrebo has recalled how he and his team required a police escort to leave London following the infamous 2009 Champions League semi-final clash between Chelsea and Barcelona, while lamenting the fact VAR was not available at the time.
Barcelona won the second leg of the tie with the Blues on away goals thanks to a late strike by Andres Iniesta, but controversy had surrounded Barca’s victory on the night after Overbo was floored for his ‘disgraceful’ officiating.
The hosts saw four penalty appeals that could have handed them a deserved victory, ruled out. However, remorseful Ovrebo went on to blame such poor officiating on the absence of VAR.
“I wish I had the help of the VAR that day,” Ovrebo told Panenka magazine.
“After the first half, my assistants and I felt that we had control. At the end of the match, however, I did not have that feeling. When I got to the dressing room I thought: “Okay, Tom Henning, this has not been your best night”.
After the late Ballack incident, Ovrebo went on to tell himself to ‘keep calm’, but inside, he was anything but that.
“I must admit that inside I was boiling,’ he added. ‘It was in the dressing room that I realised how controversial everything had been.
“In the space of two hours, I went from being a fairly respected referee to becoming the biggest fool in international football.’
Chelsea’s rage on the field was shared by Guus Hiddink, who described Ovrebo’s performance as the worst he’d ever seen.
Barcelona went on to win the competition that year by beating Manchester United in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
