Real Madrid match-winner Cristiano Ronaldo consoled Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in the mixed zone after the Italian side were knocked out of the Champions League in dramatic fashion.
Buffon was infuriated by referee Michael Oliver’s decision to award Madrid a penalty in the 93rd minute after Juve had clawed back a three-goal first-leg deficit at the Bernabeu.
The veteran goalkeeper fumed at Oliver after the decision and was sent off for his aggressive reaction, which saw him scream and point his hand in the English official’s face.
Cristiano Ronaldo consoled Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in the mixed zone
Buffon was infuriated by referee Michael Oliver’s decision to award Madrid a penalty late on
Ronaldo scored the resulting spot-kick to put the La Liga side through to the semi-finals
Ronaldo scored the resulting spot-kick to put the La Liga side through to the competition’s semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate.
But the Madrid star showed his respect to Buffon as he interrupted the shot-stopper during his interview in the mixed zone.
Ronaldo consoled Buffon and the pair embraced in a hug as the Madrid man left the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Buffon was seething after the final whistle as he blasted Oliver and his decisions during a passionate post-match interview.
‘It was a tenth of a penalty,’ Buffon, who was playing in his last-ever Champions League game, told Mediaset. ‘I know the referee saw, it was certainly a dubious incident.
‘And a dubious incident at the 93rd minute when we had a clear penalty denied [for a challenge on Juan Cuadrado] in the first leg, you cannot award that at this point.
Ronaldo interrupted the shot-stopper during his interview in the mixed zone on Wednesday
The pair embraced in a hug as the Madrid man left the Bernabeu after 4-3 aggregate victory
Buffon was seething after the final whistle as he blasted Oliver and his decisions
‘The team gave their all, but a human being cannot destroy dreams like that at the end of an extraordinary comeback on a dubious situation.
‘Clearly you cannot have a heart in your chest, but a bin. On top of that, if you don’t have the character to walk on a pitch like this in a stadium like this, you can sit in the stands with your wife, your kids, drinking your Sprite and eating crisps. You cannot ruin the dreams of a team.’
‘You have to be a murderer to make the last two decisions the referee made,’ Buffon added later, on a Spanish radio station.
He conceded that Madrid were worthy winners but said he was proud of his team for coming close to advancing despite entering the second leg 3-0 down.
‘Real Madrid deserved to go through over the two legs,’ Buffon said. ‘I wish them the best and it has always been an honour for me to face this club, but objectively we at least deserved to go to extra time.’