Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti: ‘Referee Didn’t Pay Attention’ in Manchester City Draw

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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was not pleased with the officiating in Tuesday’s 1-1 Champions League semifinal draw against Manchester City

In particular, he was miffed with the ball appearing to go out of play before Kevin De Bruyne’s second-half equalizer.

“The ball was off the pitch,” he told reporters. “That’s it. Technology said it. I don’t understand why VAR didn’t check it. The referee didn’t pay attention to many things tonight.”

The primary counterargument to Ancelotti is that the goal itself still ultimately came after a Real Madrid turnover, which arguably created a new sequence of play.

And from a more aesthetic standpoint, it would have been a borderline tragedy to disallow such a breathtaking goal on a technicality.

Either way, the goal stood, Ancelotti isn’t happy about it and the two sides will battle for a place in the final in eight days.