Controversial Champions League Refereeing Decisions

Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir is not the most popular man in parts of Manchester at the moment after dismissing Nani during the Champions League tie on Tuesday night.

Manchester United held a 1-0 lead over Real Madrid at Old Trafford through Sergio Ramos' own goal when the official reduced the home side to 10 men in the 57th minute for what he perceived to be a dangerous challenge by Nani on Alvaro Arbeloa.

The decision deflated United and appeared to bolster Real, who won through a 3-2 aggregate scoreline after goals from Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Few people had expected Cakir to show the red card to Nani, but such controversy is nothing new in the Champions League.

Read on for other refereeing controversies in UEFA's elite tournament.

Massimo Busacca

Former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie could not believe his ears when he was dismissed during the Gunners' Champions League last-16 second leg at Barcelona in March 2011.

After being cautioned earlier in the game for a foul on Dani Alves, the Holland international carried on playing after failing to hear referee Massimo Busacca's whistle for offside against him in the 56th minute.

Van Persie claimed he did not hear the whistle amid the noise of 90,000 people inside the Camp Nou but the Swiss official sent the forward off.

Arsenal were under pressure as Barcelona chased down a 3-2 aggregate deficit, and Van Persie's departure allowed Xavi and Lionel Messi to add further goals and secure a 4-3 victory over the two legs.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger labelled the decision "embarrassing," while Van Persie called it "a joke," as BBC Sport reported.

Tom Henning Ovrebo

Didier Drogba's infamous televised response to the performance of Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after the 2009 Champions League semifinal against Barcelona remains the lasting impression for most people.

Chelsea had claimed a superb 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in the first leg and when Michael Essien struck nine minutes into the second leg, the Blues were looking good for a second successive final against Manchester United.

However, after Ovrebo rejected a succession of Chelsea penalty calls, especially Gerard Pique's handball just after the interval, Andres Iniesta struck for Barcelona deep into injury-time to see Pep Guardiola's side through.

The Norwegian official also dismissed Barcelona defender Eric Abidal after a challenge with Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka in the 65th minute.

Wolfgang Stark

Wolfgang Stark had already been at the centre of one Champions League controversy, when he failed to award Chelsea two penalties during the tie with Inter Milan in March 2010, when he took charge of the 2011 semifinal first leg between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The German official dismissed Real midfielder Pepe at the Bernabeu Stadium in the second half for a high tackle on Dani Alves, which left Jose Mourinho sarcastically mouth "Well done" to the fourth official before being dismissed himself.

The absence of Pepe allowed Barcelona more space, and Lionel Messi grabbed two late goals to give his team control of the tie.

Mourinho even mentioned the game in his post-match analysis of Real Madrid's win at Old Trafford on Tuesday as he sympathised with Sir Alex Ferguson, as ESPN reported.

Antony Gautier

It is, perhaps, unfair to blame referee Antony Gautier for what happened in the group stage encounter between FC Nordsjaelland and Shakhtar Donetsk in November, but the fallout had serious consequences for Champions League holders Chelsea.

The Danish side had taken a surprise 24th-minute lead, but the Ukrainians hit back moments later with a controversial Luis Adriano strike.

A drop-ball was kicked back toward the Nordsjaelland goalkeeper after treatment to a player, but instead of letting it reached its intended target, Adriano chased the "pass" and equalised for Shakhtar.

Adriano would go on to claim a hat-trick in the 5-2 win that also left Chelsea relying on the Ukraine side to beat Juventus to have any chance of qualifying out of the group stage.

Adriano was banned for one match by UEFA for a lack of fair play, but could Gautier have simply stopped the game and disallowed the goal?

Lubos Michel

Chelsea and Mourinho feature again in the refereeing controversy that has dominated the campaign for goal-line technology.

After a 0-0 scoreline in the first leg at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool needed just four minutes to score the only goal of the tie at Anfield.

Luis Garcia's shot was heading for goal when Chelsea defender William Gallas appeared to clear it from his position on the goal line.

Match official Lubos Michel awarded the effort as a goal and Liverpool progressed to the 2005 Champions League final, but Mourinho called it a "ghost goal" after the game.