5 instances of bad refereeing influencing the outcome of a game

#2 Chelsea vs. Barcelona, UEFA Champions League, 2008/09

It was a result that prompted Didier Drogba to go on a notorious rant at a nearby camera, yelling that referee Tom Henning Ovrebo’s performance was a “f*cking disgrace”. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg at the Nou Camp, the Champions League semi-final tie between Chelsea and Barcelona was on a knife-edge going into the return leg at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea largely bossed the game, taking the lead through Michael Essien, but they should’ve had their lead extended. Ovrebo ignored clear penalty claims when both Drogba and Florent Malouda went down under rough challenges in the box, and also denied the Blues when Gerard Pique’s clear handball went unseen.

A late equaliser from Andres Iniesta suddenly put Barca ahead on away goals, before Ovrebo denied Chelsea a fourth stone wall penalty – this time somehow missing a clear handball from Barca’s Samuel Eto’o. Barcelona ended up advancing and everyone – even fans who didn’t like Chelsea – could see that the bizarre decisions of the referee were to blame.