13 years since...Collina denied Everton's CL-GS dream

[hallamblue]

We just happen to get the best team.
We just happen to get the home leg first.
We just happen to be refereed by a retiree.
He just happens to give one of the most ludicrous decisions of all time.

He can look super cool and above those calling it corruption if you want. But it's more of a stretch to believe it wasn't corruption.

You can hardly call it one of the most ludicrous decisions of all time. He blew for a non-existent foul at a corner, it happens every week. If you want a proper ludicrous decision, go back to the 1977 FA Cup Semi Final.

 

[Steve0]

You can hardly call it one of the most ludicrous decisions of all time. He blew for a non-existent foul at a corner, it happens every week. If you want a proper ludicrous decision, go back to the 1977 FA Cup Semi Final.

No but normally you can point to some contact the ref was over officious over. Here there was literally no possible reason. I mean do you even know what it was supposed to be for?

 

[hallamblue]

No but normally you can point to some contact the ref was over officious over. Here there was literally no possible reason. I mean do you even know what it was supposed to be for?

Like I said earlier in the thread, he blew for a foul every time there was a corner. I think he'd lost his nerve and was so scared of missing something he just thought it was safer to blow for a free kick at every corner. I agree with you that there was no pushing, obstruction, or anything else, but that's not unusual, you see it all the time at corners and free kicks.

 

[KaiserEFC]

I’m not one for conspiracies at all, but for me that was rigged. It wasn’t just the goal, it was the standard of refereeing throughout the entire game, it was as if Everton didn’t exist.

And bringing a famous referee out of retirement for one game which happens to be Everton and Villarreal (hardly giants)? Stinks to me that.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

We got absolutely mullered and taught a footy lesson over the two legs, and the best team by far went through.

 

[Prevenger17]

Come on lads, this is BAWK level stuff

 

[Lelouch]

I mean I don't think anyone expected Everton to win or even put up a fight, Villareal at that time were a pretty well respected side in the world but still doesn't take away that Collina is corrupt as.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

This floor is very wet. Oh hello bed wetters

 

[havrey0123]

The level of quality between the two sides was ridiculous. It was hard work Vs quality and quality came out on top as it usually does.

The damage was done in the first leg, that's when the tie was lost. It was always going to be difficult to go there and win.

 

[COYBL25]

The Everton board lost that for us that summer by failing to make funds available to buy players and strengthen our chances. Budgeting for 40 points still.

Kroldrop, Arteta and Neville for £10M, when we should have been investing to grab a fleeting chance of making an enormous leap.

Txt book lol

 

[Togger Blue]

I was at the game and didn't have the benefit of any TV replays. At the time I saw no infringement and I still can't, if anything Bent is being pushed by the Villarreal player. Ignoring the disallowed goal I had reservations about Collina's appointment to referee and it was very convenient to get Everton binned as soon as possible. However, on the night I've got a recollection of Tony Hibbert getting booked, then well before the disallowed goal Hibbo fouled again and I expected a second yellow (& hence a red card), but Collina just gave the foul - a golden opportunity to weaken Everton? That's if I remember it correctly, I'd had a few bevvies! As for Villarreal being better over the 2 games - they were, but many a team has progressed against the odds with a bit of luck! It's just the reality that on balance Everton have a history of suffering from major refereeing decisions.

 

[Julius Geezer]

If I remember correctly United , Chelsea , Arsenal and Everton were going to sue UEFA because they had diluted the English prize fund due to Liverpool being allowed into the competition as winners the previous year.
Regardless over we deserved to get beat , Newcastle and Arsenal , the two previous fourth placed teams , got drawn against teams from Serbia and Slovenia (I think).
Everton , about to sue the competition organisers and probably win, get drawn against a crack Spanish team and a referee ,who is seen to be impeachable , is mysteriously brought out of retirement to officiate the all important second leg.
But yeah bedwetters and all that......

 

[Thomasc]

Smashing few days away with the result being the catalyst to a very poor start to the season.

Remember reading we had signed Valente and Van Der Mayde and thinking the good times were returning, then BOOM!

Everton that.

 

[havrey0123]

Get a grip folks. Villareal were by far the better team. But blame Collina if you want.

 

[Thomasc]

Get a grip folks. Villareal were by far the better team. But blame Collina if you want.

Remember Goodison when we couldn’t get the ball off Riquelme and Senna? It was a bit of a footballing lesson TBF