Pierluigi Collina has explained why he controversially disallowed Duncan Ferguson's 'goal' for Everton in their UEFA Champions League qualifier with Villarreal.
The Italian official was in England attending the Make a Dream charity function at Leeds United's Elland Road and discussed a number of topics.
When the subject of his final top game as a referee was raised, Collina was adamant that he made the right decision to award a foul against Ferguson's strike partner Marcus Bent.
Everton felt the decision, last August, cost them their chance to get back into the tie and, ultimately, a lucrative place in the group stages of the competition.
"It was because I've seen a foul made by another player - Bent," revealed Collina.
"Away from the ball, during a free kick or corner kick, in the penalty box, there are several couples of players. The referee cannot follow all of them but your attention is on some of the players.
"Sometimes you can see things happen as well as you cannot see at other times. If you're looking at another couple of players, you're not able to see the other part of the box.
"At that time, I was looking at those players - Bent and his Spanish opponent, and I've seen something that probably television didn't show.
"Clearly, Duncan Ferguson didn't make any foul but I didn't punish him for a foul. I punished Bent's foul."
