When Italian referee Daniele Orsato was announced as the official for Manchester City’s clash with Real Madrid this week, it elicited a groan from both clubs.
That’s according to Estadio Deportivo anyway, who say he is ‘the referee that nobody wanted’ and explain why neither side have particularly fond thoughts about the appointment.
They explain Orsato is an ‘old acquaintance’ for both sides and ‘neither one nor the other’ likes him after their previous experiences.
Real Madrid, for example, consider him something of a bad omen after he was the fourth official in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City last year and ‘gave them bad luck’ when the two sides met in 2020 as well, a game in which he sent off Sergio Ramos.
“I never talk about referees, but today it is impossible not to talk. (Orsato) He is one of the worst referees I know. Not only because of today’s game. He has whistled at me many times and I never have good memories of him. He is a disaster,” he said at the time.
Manchester City have similar stories, with Pep Guardiola even grabbing Orsato by the arms to protest to him in 2022 when his side were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final clash.
That saw Manchester City knocked out by the Spanish giants and he was less than impressed by the official, and neither were his players.
Now they meet again in the same game, and it seems neither of the sides will be particularly happy about that fact.
