CL Special: There Is No Barcelona-Chelsea Conspiracy

CL Special: There Is No Barcelona-Chelsea Conspiracy - Guus Hiddink's Korea 2002 Hypocrisy

The referee for Chelsea's Barcelona tie might have been stupid, but he certainly wasn’t shady - and it belies belief that Hiddink, considering his past at the 2002 World Cup, should perpetuate the idea of a campaign against his side, writes Goal.com's Carlo Garganese...

“When people say it's all very suspicious then I get rather angry,” roared Guus Hiddink on June 23, 2002.

“Italy and Spain should look at themselves and their shortcomings rather than the referee’s.

“It's easy to go on blaming referees or linesmen. Of course they make mistakes, but coaches make mistakes, players make mistakes, and the press make mistakes. They go for you and against you.”

If you haven’t already worked it out, this was then South Korea coach Hiddink’s angry response following widespread claims that there had been a conspiracy at the 2002 World Cup to send his co-hosts through at the expense of Italy, Spain and, to a lesser extent, Portugal.

The 2002 World Cup has gone down in footballing infamy, and indeed the majority of supporters in Italy and Spain refuse to even acknowledge that tournament’s legality. The Azzurri had five perfectly good goals disallowed in three games for non-existent offsides, while they were eliminated by Hiddink’s Korea in the second round after an extra time Golden Goal. During that clash, Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno awarded Korea a questionable penalty, harshly sent off Francesco Totti for diving, and disallowed a good Damiano Tommasi Golden Goal. Spain were the next victims of Korea in the quarter final, losing on penalties after they had had two legitimate strikes chalked off.

Fast forward seven years to May 6, 2009. Hiddink, now interim manager of Chelsea, had just been denied a place in the Champions League final following a dramatic injury time equaliser by Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta in West London.

In the post-match interview, Hiddink, referring to five penalty claims that were turned down by referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, clearly implied on both English and Italian television that there may have been a sinister plot by those in positions of power.

“I won't say what we really feel, but it's an injustice. It's not just one doubtful call. Ask the people who put the referee in charge of this game,” the Dutchman moaned to Sky Sports.

“When all these things happen, then you start thinking,” he added to Sky Italia.

I know what I'm thinking Guus, and it is not conspiracy, but hypocrisy. The regularity and enormity of the events at the 2002 World Cup were more than enough to form a conspiracy theory, yet Hiddink shrugged them off as Italian and Spanish sour grapes. What took place last night at Stamford Bridge was just plain bad officiating that penalised both sides in equal measure.

Of the five incidents that Chelsea have complained about, only one was a penalty – the clear handball by Gerard Pique. Dani Alves’ obstruction on Florent Malouda may have been inside the area, but obstruction is only a penalty offence when it is really serious, and this was not. The same can be said for Eric Abidal’s slight pull of Didier Drogba’s shirt before half time, which preceded a one second delay before the Ivorian catapulted himself onto the floor like he’d caught the plague.

In the episode involving Drogba and Yaya Toure on 56 minutes, both players were wrestling each other, and even if Kolo’s younger brother did draw back the Chelsea hitman, it was well outside the area. When the two players entered the box, Toure won the ball with a fair tackle. Finally, regarding Michael Ballack’s last-gasp appeal against Samuel Eto’o, the Cameroonian may have had his arm higher than usual, but it was clearly ball-to-hand (the very top of his arm and back), while he also had his back turned. FIFA’s ‘Laws of the Game’ are crystal clear on this.

It is amusing that Chelsea have conveniently overlooked the fact that Abidal was wrongly red carded on 65 minutes for a ‘professional foul’ when Anelka had tripped over his own feet. This forced Barcelona to chase the last 25 minutes of the game with just 10 men. As a result the space opened up for Chelsea on the counter-attack, and it was only after this dismissal that the stonewall Pique penalty incident occurred. It is also peculiar how Chelsea have discarded the performance of referee Wolfgang Stark in the first leg at Camp Nou. During that game, Stark waved away an excellent Thierry Henry penalty shout, failed to send off Michael Ballack, and also harshly booked Carles Puyol, forcing Barcelona to play a left back at centre back, and a centre midfielder at left back last night.

Over the course of the two ties, the appalling refereeing decisions evened themselves out. Had Iniesta not scored that late goal, it would have been Barcelona doing the complaining, just like they did after the first leg when coach Pep Guardiola sniped that “referees need to take a look at themselves”, and Eto’o sarcastically shrugged that “you’d have to ask the referee about his controversial performance.”

The red card of Abidal would have killed many lesser sides, but not Barcelona, who actually continued to dominate possession despite being a man short. Hiddink may have chosen the right tactics against Barcelona over two legs, and Chelsea are undoubtedly unlucky to go out, but it must also be recognised just how negative the Blues were in both legs. It was Catenaccio stuff that would have had Helenio Herrera dancing around in his grave.

When Hiddink’s Australia were defeated by Italy in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, the Dutchman remarked after the game, “We tried to play another style, a style that is more attractive for the spectators to see. The Italians wanted to play defensively, they love to play with a wall - they don’t think about attractive football, they just think about the result.”

Like your Chelsea side in both legs against Barca, you mean? There was no conspiracy Guus last night, but there sure was an absurd amount of hypocrisy.

The Tupac Twitch wrote:The evidence is pretty damning,

however Guus isn't the first, nor will be the last, manager to display a finely honed talent for double standards when the boot is on the other foot.

For example, Arsene Wenger is always very keen-eyed and quick to argue with referees when fouls are committed on his players,

but when it's the otherway around, he suffers acute bouts of temporary blindness that are have now become legendary.

Hiddink is no different.

Infact, some might argue Pep Guardiola - who was very quick to criticise Chelsea players for their heavy challenges in the first game at Camp Nou yet mysteriously claimed after the Stamford bridge encounter that he didn't see any of the Chelsea's debatable penalty appeals - is quickly learning from the rest

Torrente wrote:I agree that most coaches are big hypocrites, with Hiddink being no exception. It's too bad that when trying to convey his point, the author shows a lot of bias in analyzing the ref's decision, going as far as saying that he affected both equally.

Super Elitist wrote:

The Tupac Twitch wrote:The evidence is pretty damning,

however Guus isn't the first, nor will be the last, manager to display a finely honed talent for double standards when the boot is on the other foot.

For example, Arsene Wenger is always very keen-eyed and quick to argue with referees when fouls are committed on his players,

but when it's the otherway around, he suffers acute bouts of temporary blindness that are have now become legendary.

Hiddink is no different.

Infact, some might argue Pep Guardiola - who was very quick to criticise Chelsea players for their heavy challenges in the first game at Camp Nou yet mysteriously claimed after the Stamford bridge encounter that he didn't see any of the Chelsea's debatable penalty appeals - is quickly learning from the rest

I know im just trying to keep a lid(sp?) on the Hiddink hype that has been going on. Wonder what Axe thinks of the article

kas wrote:Saw a good point raised elsewhere - why don't they use the same ref for both legs of CL knockout ties?

kas wrote:Saw a good point raised elsewhere - why don't they use the same ref for both legs of CL knockout ties?

The Tupac Twitch wrote:

Super Elitist wrote:

The Tupac Twitch wrote:The evidence is pretty damning,

however Guus isn't the first, nor will be the last, manager to display a finely honed talent for double standards when the boot is on the other foot.

For example, Arsene Wenger is always very keen-eyed and quick to argue with referees when fouls are committed on his players,

but when it's the otherway around, he suffers acute bouts of temporary blindness that are have now become legendary.

Hiddink is no different.

Infact, some might argue Pep Guardiola - who was very quick to criticise Chelsea players for their heavy challenges in the first game at Camp Nou yet mysteriously claimed after the Stamford bridge encounter that he didn't see any of the Chelsea's debatable penalty appeals - is quickly learning from the rest

I know im just trying to keep a lid(sp?) on the Hiddink hype that has been going on. Wonder what Axe thinks of the article

@Super Elitist - what was your previous log in name?

Yes, I agree that there is an awful lot of Hiddink hype on these boards. Bless our Dutch posters, on the whole a likeable bunch, but prone to indulging in explicit acts of self gratification whenever a Dutchie manager is discussed.

I remember when he criticised England for being defensive in the 2002 World Cup. Yet his Russia side were far from attack minded in their qualification for the recent Euros, and neither has this Chelsea side.

He's a bullshitter like the rest of them

Dragões azuis e brancos wrote:The Elitist tag is a dig at the likes of Six for EPL teams tactics employed against the Spanish sides.

La Liga fans are attacking Elitists

The EPL fans are defensive elitists, hence so many of the EPL fans couldn't take the 6-2 at the Bernabau seriously because of the state of Madrid's defence.

Defending

Super Penalties wrote:
I know im just trying to keep a lid(sp?) on the Hiddink hype that has been going on. Wonder what Axe thinks of the article

Pierre Littbarski wrote:21 years without a significant trophy for the fat-faced c**t.

I love his comments about Italian teams not playing attractively.

It needs spelling out:

They had 10 men for the last half hour not you and it was their left-back who was rampaging into your box in stoppage time rather than take a draw and extra time.

Dragões azuis e brancos wrote:All coaches & managers are one-eyed self promoters who think they deserved every dodgy 50/50 call their side gets and will scream blue murder when the shoes on the other foot.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:21 years without a significant trophy for the fat-faced c**t.

I love his comments about Italian teams not playing attractively.

It needs spelling out:

They had 10 men for the last half hour not you and it was their left-back who was rampaging diving and cheating into your box in stoppage time rather than take a draw and extra time.

Axeslammer wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:21 years without a significant trophy for the fat-faced c**t.

I love his comments about Italian teams not playing attractively.

It needs spelling out:

They had 10 men for the last half hour not you and it was their left-back who was rampaging diving and cheating into your box in stoppage time rather than take a draw and extra time.

Axeslammer wrote:

Super Penalties wrote:
I know im just trying to keep a lid(sp?) on the Hiddink hype that has been going on. Wonder what Axe thinks of the article

I think the article misses a very important point : Hiddink doesn't learn from his mistakes.

When he's got a team on the ropes, he sits back and doesn't go for the jugular : it's come back to haunt him on several occasions.

That means he goes out undeservedly...but he himself could (make that *should*) have avoided even the slightest chance of that happening.

Hidding has gone seriously down in my esteem after last night, I hoped he would have learned from his mistakes....it's become clear he never will

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

What about the Eto'o off-side and a possible sending off for Ballack?

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

What about the Eto'o off-side and a possible sending off for Ballack?

The sending off for Ballack at 1-1? Would never have happened if the ref hadn't missed all the penalties but it was a red no doubt and he'll be banned for some time I imagine.

You're comparing marginal on/off-sides to great penalty shouts now?

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

What about the Eto'o off-side and a possible sending off for Ballack?

The sending off for Ballack at 1-1? Would never have happened if the ref hadn't missed all the penalties but it was a red no doubt and he'll be banned for some time I imagine.

You're comparing marginal on/off-sides to great penalty shouts now?

Sending off in the first leg. I'm comparing an incorrect off-side decision to a correct call on the Alves - Malouda situation. Barca had more decisions against them then Chelsea. Especially the home calls which might have bought Chelsea out to play looking for an away goal. They may have finished the tie in that match.

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

What about the Eto'o off-side and a possible sending off for Ballack?

The sending off for Ballack at 1-1? Would never have happened if the ref hadn't missed all the penalties but it was a red no doubt and he'll be banned for some time I imagine.

You're comparing marginal on/off-sides to great penalty shouts now?

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

What about the Eto'o off-side and a possible sending off for Ballack?

The sending off for Ballack at 1-1? Would never have happened if the ref hadn't missed all the penalties but it was a red no doubt and he'll be banned for some time I imagine.

You're comparing marginal on/off-sides to great penalty shouts now?

Sending off in the first leg. I'm comparing an incorrect off-side decision to a correct call on the Alves - Malouda situation. Barca had more decisions against them then Chelsea. Especially the home calls which might have bought Chelsea out to play looking for an away goal. They may have finished the tie in that match.

You get incorrect offside calls in every game. I remember Joe Cole scoring a wonderful goal against you in our 1-1 match at the Emirates (when Boulahrouz was sent off) but was disallowed for an incorrect offside call. Given that Eto'o also missed a 1v1 in that game, it's not certain that he would've scored. It's certainly not as good a chance as a penalty. You don't always have players wrestle other players to the ground in a match.

The Barca penalty? Which was no worse than Drogba-Abidal? We had 2 clearer penalty shouts than that.

Interesting that you think Barca had more decisions go against them than for them, when not even the Barca fans appear to believe this.

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:

shazlx wrote:

S4P wrote:The vast majority of managers are hypocrites. They will see everything one way and Hiddink is no different. Nor is Guardiola, Wenger, Ferguson etc. If he'd got 1 decision wrong, fair enough. Barca probably should have had a penalty at the Nou Camp, so you can say it evens out. But when a referee gets 3 big calls wrong you have to wonder if he's just a very poor ref or if there's actually more behind it.

What about the Eto'o off-side and a possible sending off for Ballack?

The sending off for Ballack at 1-1? Would never have happened if the ref hadn't missed all the penalties but it was a red no doubt and he'll be banned for some time I imagine.

You're comparing marginal on/off-sides to great penalty shouts now?

Sending off in the first leg. I'm comparing an incorrect off-side decision to a correct call on the Alves - Malouda situation. Barca had more decisions against them then Chelsea. Especially the home calls which might have bought Chelsea out to play looking for an away goal. They may have finished the tie in that match.

Interesting that you think Barca had more decisions go against them than for them, when not even the Barca fans appear to believe this.