Referee Michael Oliver and his wife have been the subject of abuse and even death threats, including text messages, according to reports.
The official was targeted after awarding a last-gasp penalty to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final against Juventus.
He also sent off captain Gigi Buffon, who bitterly criticised the referee in public after the match.
Although Oliver does not have a presence on social media, his wife – also a referee – does and her Twitter account has been inundated with abusive messages.
Even worse, police are investigating after someone posted her mobile phone number online, leading to threatening texts and even insults shouted through her letter box at home.
Calls have been growing for Juventus and above all Buffon to apologise for their very harsh language in the wake of the penalty decision, encouraging their pseudo fans to calm down.
Hicabcdmtu
192
may be this is going to be a warning to other referees how is wish his entire family will be kidnapped and killed
OMG are you human or what???? kill a human for doing his job why are there referees anyway maybe Fifa should leave referee out of the game and put fans to do that because you people knows better than the referees so why don't go and do it???? killing the ref is not worth it because it would change anything the more those juventus fans and players begin to accept this and move on the better for them because if this man dies because of them they are going to carry something on their shoulders their all life because the ref has done nothing wrong he used the rules of football and made his dicision and that's it
Juni12
144
A game should never be taken that seriously !!
Madrista_forever
83
all those barking dogs who are not true Barcelona and football fans saying about the penalty incident if you were in his position you would have shit in the ground because of pressure in the match and now you guys are saying it was not a penalty and it's good that he received death threat,shame on you and i pity for Barcelona to have dumbass asshole fans like you,hear to the statement of the best refree of all time you assholes
soadpu
74
If he don't award the panalty, the Madrid fans will give him a death treat, and it will come a time nobody want to be referee. So to all the not so smart fans a lost is a lost right or wrong decision is part of the games. Some might think it's right and some might think it's wrong decision. Just leave it to he referee yo do their job and enjoyed the games if you can't do that then don't watch football. Watch game that play without referee. Video Games so that you can't complain because no one listen to you.