The Spanish press have claimed Real Madrid are already ‘crying’ ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second leg with Chelsea after learning which referee has been chosen for Tuesday’s tie. Italian official Daniele Orsato has been selected by UEFA to oversee the second leg at Stamford Bridge and his recent run-ins with the La Liga giants, including midfielder Luka Modric, suggest there is some unease at his appointment.
Real Madrid take a healthy 2-0 advantage to west London thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio as they prepare to face Frank Lampard’s out-of-sorts Chelsea side again. Carlo Ancelotti’s men will be favourites to secure their place in the semi-finals, but there is some pessimism from the Spanish media ahead of the clash.
It reportedly relates to Los Blancos’ disapproval of Orsato, which spans back three years to the 2019-20 competition when Madrid faced Manchester City in the last-16 round and lost 2-1 in the first leg.
Orsato awarded a penalty against Dani Carvajal after he was adjudged to have fouled Raheem Sterling and the Italian referee then sent off Sergio Ramos for bringing down Gabriel Jesus when he was through on goal.
And it seems like those bitter memories have not been forgotten as the 47-year-old prepares to take charge of another key fixture, with Catalan publication Sport carrying a report suggesting ‘Madrid are already crying’ about Orsato being awarded the game to officiate.
Modric won’t be looking forward to shaking hands with Orsato after his derogatory comments about his performance during the World Cup back in December. Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 before going on to win the tournament and Orsato awarded a penalty to the Latin American nation.
The veteran Croatian – who is poised to start for Madrid after starring in the first leg – described Orsato as a “disaster” and claimed he is “one of the worst” referees in the game only five months ago.
“It’s a key moment in the game, he doesn’t give us a corner and he whistles a penalty, which wasn’t for me, because he shoots and collides with our goalkeeper,” Modric said after the game. “I can’t believe he whistled that penalty. That changes the game.”
“I never talk about referees, but today it’s impossible not to talk. He’s one of the worst I know. Not only because of today’s game.
“He’s whistled me many times and I never have a good memory of him. He’s a disaster.”
Orsato has been an professional referee since 2010 and has overseen five Champions League ties this season, including Madrid’s 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig in Germany on matchday six when they had already qualified for the knockout stage.
He will head up an all-Italian team of officials for the Chelsea game, with Massimiliano Irrati in charge of the VAR and Paolo Valerico as his assistant.
Maurizio Mariani will be the fourth official, while Ciro Carbone and Alessandro Giallatini have been chosen as assistant referees to run the line.
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