The RTÉ soccer panel felt that Premier League referee Michael Oliver had no choice but to dismiss Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon on what could prove to be his final act in the Champions League.
After trailing 3-0 to Real Madrid in the quarter-final first-leg, the Serie A side put in an incredible performance to level the tie 3-3 at the Bernabeu with a brace from Mario Mandzukic and a second-half goal from Blaise Matuidi.
However there was further drama in injury-time when Madrid were awarded a penalty kick which Ronaldo duly dispatched to send the defending champions through to the last four, while Buffon was sent off for his robust protestations at the decision.
The long-serving goalkeeper hasn’t confirmed his retirement, but is expected to hang up his gloves at the end of the campaign after a decorated career, but the panel had little sympathy after the ugly scenes at the end of the contest.
"He’s pushing the referee...you can’t do that anymore," Liam Brady told viewers. "We saw Pep Guardiola sent to the stand last night for having harsh words with the referee. You cannot touch the referee.
"He jostled him from all directions."
"I totally agree," Eamon Dunphy said. "The referee in that situation has to assert his authority. It’s important for the game because kids are watching this. Once you touch a referee, it doesn’t matter if it is his last game, he has to go.
"In any sport you cannot to that."
'In any sport, you cannot do that' - The panel unanimous in condemnation of Gianluigi Buffon's actions that led to his red card #rtesoccer pic.twitter.com/JeoEen65LM
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) April 11, 2018
Didi Hamann says the Italian goalkeeper is likely to ruefully reflect on his actions.
"I think he will be sitting in the changing room now maybe feeling robbed. I think he might feel disgusted at the way he left the European stage, because he would have had a chance to save the penalty.
"Obviously, the way Ronaldo scored the penalty, he wouldn’t have saved that, but you don’t know.
"They [Juventus players] pushed him back from the penalty spot to the edge of the penalty spot. I haven’t got any sympathy for the players for how they behave because there is still a chance he misses a penalty."
