Former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink claims the controversial Champions League defeat to Barcelona in 2009 could have been a fix.
The Blues were controversially denied four penalities by referee Tom Henning Ovrebo before Andres Iniesta struck in the last minute to send the Catalans through to the final on away goals.
Didier Drogba infamously confronted the officials after the match, branding their performance a 'f****** disgrace', while Chelsea manager on the night Hiddink described it as 'the worst refereeing' he ever saw.
Ovrebo suffered death threats in the aftermath of the game, while UEFA was accused of fixing the game to avoid a repeat of the 2008 final between Manchester United and Chelsea.
Eleven years on, Hiddink has reopened old wounds and admits he still suspects foul play.
Hiddink told Ziggo Sport: "The referee performance surprised me, because in the past he'd had perfect performances. Is it the worst refereeing I've ever seen? I think so.
"This is the only time I thought a match could've been fixed."
While Florent Malouda and Drogba's penalty shouts fell somewhere in the 'seen-them-given' category, handballs from Gerard Pique and Samuel Eto'o were stonewall.
It remains one of the most controversial refereeing displays in recent history, and Ovrebo has since owned up to his mistakes.
"It was not my best day, really," Ovrebo told Spanish newspaper Marca in 2018.
"But those mistakes can be committed by a referee, and sometimes a player or a coach. Some days you are not at the level you should be.
"But no, I can't be proud of that performance. There were several errors and everyone will have their opinion of those plays.
Saugat Panta
627
I rest my case here
jomacdmuy
374
Apology not accepted because you aren't coming clean. They weren't mistakes, you favoured barca on purpose. State that clearly and the reasons for your actions, come clean before apologising, even then forgiveness isn't guaranteed. How can one man unfairly alter the outcome of a contest that participants, fans and investors have put their resources, commitment, time, energy, emotion, hearts and blood into, just cause you prefer one team to the other. You say they are the best team in the world, so therefore they must win by hook or by crook. Since you won't be investigated, nature will serve you and your accomplices what you deserve.
Nesaiknruy_Legend
223
Clear match fixing, Overbo indirectly admitted it himself by confirming HE WAS WRONG so any Barca fans making excuses and using meme posts from Barca facebook pages of 1 or 2 scenarios in the previous fixture just know the whole world can see what you guys and UEFA did its plain as day. You have images, yet there are full videos on your thievery. Just stop everyone who isnt a supporter of them knows Spanish teams are the most corrupt in football.
love_fotball
172
t'inquiète bro this happens A lot
Madrista_forever
101
we all know the truth and don't forget the 6-0 comeback though it too is one of the biggest robbery[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
justdammy
13
I rest my case here
[image]
I'm a barca fan but I've to say those decisions were very wrong. though I wanted barca to win , I've to say if match was refreed by someone else Chelsea would have won
AlhajiFolawemi
10
I rest my case here
[image]
We ain’t blind, somehow. You brought an image to implicate yourself more lol. If you are a football fan and know football very well, you should be sincere with yourself that Drogba didn’t foul, wasn’t a handball. His arm was kept and in fact, the ball hit him on shoulder, that part of the body can’t be avoided. Ballack folded his arm and the ball hit him too. That was never a foul too. Had Ballack arm was out stretched or more like it and the ball hit him on arm, would have been an obvious foul. Samuel was a bit offside. Marginally offside. You can check that again. I don’t know what happened with Iniesta and Anelka, except if I rewatch the match. So, I won’t comment on them. Ok Henry, yes, that was foul