Funny when the Barca players surrounded the ref to send Diarra off, Casillas comes over and gives the ref space, he doesn't book Diarra, doesn't book any Barca player, but books Casillas, the only guy on the field trying to help him. Unbelievable.
I think he didn't book Diarra largely because Messi probably wasn't going to get anywhere, it was outside the box and the first yellow was pretty harsh,between his first yellow and the possible second he let several tackles WAY worse than Diarra's(which was not malicious at all, just unlucky) which he let go unpunished, both Real and Barca tackles.
While some players can barely get booked(Song, Alonso) others can barely do anything to avoid being booked like Diarra.
Realistically that Messi foul should have been his rightful first yellow.
Casillas, it was silly, the Barca players were both right and wrong, they thought that was easily a yellow and it was, the ref didn't make the "right" decision he was helping making up for his first bad one.
The Barca players wouldn't have surrounded the ref if Diarra received his first yellow. Casillas was shoving Barca players, Barca players were surrounding the ref and backing him up but, ref's seem to allow this backing up thing in the past couple years in all the leagues.
Stand still, if a player shoves you, red card, instead they walk backwards like scared girls and encourages teams to do it.
Everyone was a bit in the wrong, Casillas got the booking largely because he was shoving Barca players rather than anything else, though someone gave him a worse shove back but out of a crowd I couldn't see who the hell it was.
SEriously though, for Real to blame the ref is laughable, as said, The Contraeo tackle was awful, no where near the ball, scissoring type tackle that is ALWAYS a yellow card, yet ignored. Alonso, Pepe did yet another stamp, Ramos had done loads of tackles he got away with and seriously the replay for the Biscuits elbow couldn't be more clear there was heavy contact. Dangerous and stupid challenge, not a purposeful elbow, but you jump up and catch someone in the face with an elbow, how often is that not a yellow?
There were positives, Arbeloa actually made a few great interceptions and looked pretty damn good going forward.... how much was helped by Pedro being awful defensively and Abidal/Puyol having a mare of a game I don't know), he only really made one big defensive error, but it also cost them a goal.
Also Ozil stood up and was counted in a "big" game for probably the first time ever, as did Benzema, though the not so go was Kaka was rubbish again, odd nice pass but, no pace, no fight, didn't step up and ultimately sucked, likewise, Pepe and Ramos can't be trusted at all, Mourinho or not they were both thugs before and since he joined. They are utterly reckless, stupid and aren't actually particularly good defenders to start with, shouldn't ever play either in big games.
Sure for Spain Ramos has been okay, he's in a less critical position and Spain are so good they've rarely been in trouble, its when under pressure and losing games Ramos gets more and more reckless. Already had two seasons before 25 where he received 3(or more) red's in a season and frankly has deserved way more.
