The play acting and - well, just plain diving was clear for all to see. Maybe not the referee, who didn't have the benefit of replays, but luckily, or unluckily for us watching at home, we could witness the diving in it's full, disgraceful, slow motion picture. It is despicable behaviour from grown men who should be setting an example to young footballers with their fair play. What was broadcast all over the world on Wednesday night was not fair play, and it is certainly not something which I want to see future generations of player's participating in.
I noted down several of the incidents that were particularly shameful and abominable excuses for fouls:
- Sergio Busquets fell down clutching his face in apparent agony. Replays show that he jumped on the back of a Real Madrid player, and jumped back off of him as soon as his hand came anywhere near him. There was absolutely zero contact, yet uproar among protesting Barcelona players.
- Real Madrid defender, Marcelo went down from a foul. It was a foul - his feet had been taken away from him, and it was nothing more than a free-kick - and it was given. Yet rolling around was the added effect and waving his arm in the air to indicate a card to be shown added insult to... "injury".
- Next up was Pedro. He ran into a Real player and fell down, holding his face whereas replays clearly show there was no contact. To carry on the act - or to hide his shame, he needed medics to come on and check on it, whilst pouring water on it. What's worse is that the Barcelona players hounded the referee like hungry dogs as if Pedro had been assaulted.
- Hypocrisy was also rife. Dani Alves - a serial diver if I ever saw one, complained about a foul given against him, claiming that the Madrid attacker went down to easily. Amazing.
- The last two involve Madrid's Pepe. Firstly, he was the perpetrator, jumping - almost flying through the air like a deranged bird after a slight touch from Mascherano. Yes, it was a foul, but there is simply no need for the play acting.
- Finally, the sending off. Dani Alvez was up to his old tricks again, and this time conned the referee into sending Pepe off. It was a high foot from Pepe, but a yellow card at the worst. However, professional ballet-like pirouettes from the Barcelona defender added to theatrics. Replay's showed that the contact was minimal, and was on his shin pad. Unless his pain thresh-hold is nothing on a scale of 0 - 10, surely he wouldn't have needed a stretcher to take him off the pitch.
I want to know why such talented footballers, who have made it to the top of their games and managed to reach this stage of such a prestigious competition feel the need to cheat. That is what it is - cheating, and it is an absolute disgrace.
I don't want to draw comparisons, but when Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney swore into the camera, he was banned for a few games. In my opinion, what I saw in the Real Madrid - Barcelona game was just as bad. It is cheating, cheating, cheating. That is what they are doing - cheating. It is infuriating, and it is something that millions of young kids will have watched and thought "I could do that", or "they did it, so I can". Many of the principles that were broken by Rooney swearing into a camera were broken in this game, with an awful, explicable example being set to young, aspiring footballers.
The game was ruined by all of the controversies, sending off's and cheating but sprinkled in glory and glamour in the end by a fabulous footballer, and one who does not get involved in all of the blatant deception of the referee. Lionel Messi - a true example of a fair and honest football player, and the best in the world without a doubt. Some of those cheating divers should take a leaf out of Messi's book, and start playing football, letting their skills do the talking. It isn't too much to ask is it?
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