Former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink believes UEFA fixed Chelsea’s Champions League semifinal clash against Barcelona in 2009 to avoid a repeat of the 2008 Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United.
Hiddink, who was in charge of Chelsea at that time, believes the officiating by referee Tom Henning Ovrebo is the worst refereeing he’s ever seen.
Chelsea drew Barcelona 0-0 at Camp Nou before that infamous clash at Stamford Bridge. The 1-1 draw at the Bridge secured Pep Guardiola’s men a place in the final on the away goals rule.
The game against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge is arguably the most disgraceful game in Champions League history.
“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,” he told Ziggo Sport.
“This is the only time I thought a match could’ve been fixed, possibly because UEFA didn’t want a repeat of last year’s final.”