Ronaldo believes the penalty decision from the referee was right

Ronaldo believes the penalty decision from the referee was right

- Ronaldo says he does not see why Juventus players protested the penalty decision

- Referee Michael Oliver gave a penalty for a push on Lucas Vasquez by Mehdi Banatia

- Los Blancos qualified for their eigth straight semi finals as they await their next opponents

Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he did not understand Juventus players' furious protests including a straight red card after they conceded a late penalty in their Champions League tie.

Los Blancos were awarded a vital penalty in the 93rd minute after trailing by 3-0 in the tension-soaked encounter at the Bernabeu and Gianluigi Buffon was handed a straight red card.

The Portugal international scored the decisive spot-kick to qualify Madrid into the semi finals in Wednesday's dramatic Champions League quarterfinal second leg tie.

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Referee Michael Oliver saw a push on Lucas Vazquez by Mehdi Banatia and the official sent off Buffon after the dramatic scenes that ensued with the penalty decision.

The Old lady had gone up twice in the first half through Mario Mandzukic's headers and a Blaise Matuidi's goal brought the Italians back into the contest.

Ronaldo hammered the spot kick into the net to from close range sending the defending champions through to the last four.

Speaking to Spanish TV station Antena 3 after the final whistle, the 33-year-old said that from his angle on the field the foul had been clear, and followed similar rough treatment from Juve's defenders throughout the game.

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"I don't understand why they protested the penalty.

"If he's not fouled, Lucas scores. He is hit from behind. During the game, Benatia and the rest were constantly kicking us from behind. That is their game. But Madrid are happy and in the semifinals," Ronaldo said.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner admitted that his heart had been racing as he waited for the protests to end, and for substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to take his place between the posts.

"The minutes before taking the penalty felt eternal," he said. "My heart-rate went up, but I calmed myself as I knew it would be decisive. Thanks to God I scored and we went through."

Coach Zinedine Zidane's side would have to learn a big lesson from how they allowed the Serie A defending champions to nearly pull off such a dramatic comeback.

"Anything can happen in football," he said. "We did not play well, we must admit it, and it should be a lesson for the future.

"It was a game with a lot of suffering and reminded us that in football nobody gifts you anything, and you have to fight until the end. Today Madrid could have scored more, but Buffon and the others did well. We deserved to win."

The Bernabeu outfit will know their opponents on Friday from the other three teams that qualified including Bayern Munich, Roma and Liverpool.

Who will win the champions league? - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng

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