The referee who controversially sent off Manchester United winger Nani during last night’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid can point to the laws of the game as justification for his decision.

La Collina is set to return to action in the next two months after suffering a setback in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Uefa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina leapt to the defence of the additional assistant referee experiment after Fifa president Sepp Blatter declared Ukraine’s European Championship defeat to England made goalline technology “a necessity”.

Homecoming Queen faces seven rivals as she attempts to follow up her surprise victory in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in the Etihad Airways-sponsored Irish equivalent at the Curragh on Sunday.

Ever since an April night in 1966 when Tommy Docherty was accused of flooding the Stamford Bridge pitch to get a semi-final postponed, Barcelona-Chelsea has for some reason been a fixture with an edge to it.

THE rematch between Maybe and La Collina in tomorrow’s Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh is undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend's horse racing action, and the bookmakers have firmly pinned their colours to the former's mast.

KIEREN FALLON pledged to concentrate every effort into securing a seventh British jockeys’ title after riding his 100th winner of the season at Lingfield yesterday.

La Collina is on course for the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on August 28 following her surprise Group One win at the County Kildare course.

La Collina collared Power close home to land a 33-1 surprise success in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

“C’MERE to me player, there’s a circus coming to the Lee Fields next week. You’ll fit in grand up there.”

Check out our tips from today’s horse races across Ireland and the UK.

CRISTIANO RONALDO has asked the Real Madrid fans to be more like those of Manchester United.

Italian referee designator Pierluigi Collina has urged footballers to show more respect.

ITALIAN Referees Association president Tullio Lanese has refused to accept Pierluigi Collina’s shock resignation from football.

Italian Referees Association president Tullio Lanese has refused to accept Pierluigi Collina’s shock resignation from football.

James Whelan

Top referee Pierluigi Collina was at the centre of controversy as Everton’s association with the Champions League ended in heartache.

Villarreal 2 Everton 1 (Villarreal win 4-2 on aggregate)

PIERLUIGI Collina, widely considered the world’s best referee, will not be allowed officiate this season unless he drops his new sponsor.

PIERLUIGI COLLINA’S continuation as a Serie A referee was confirmed yesterday when he was included on the officials list for next season.

Pierluigi Collina’s continuation as a Serie A referee was confirmed on Wednesday when he was included on the officials list for next season.

PIERLUIGI COLLINA will not referee at the 2006 World Cup after FIFA confirmed that it will not change the upper age limit for international referees.

Juventus beat defending champions AC Milan 1-0 in the top-of-the-table showdown at the San Siro to take a giant stride towards the Scudetto on Sunday.

Chelsea are still considering their response after being accused by UEFA of telling deliberate lies about Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and referee Anders Frisk.

CHELSEA could face the ultimate sanction of disqualification from the Champions League after being accused by UEFA of telling deliberate lies about Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and referee Anders Frisk.

Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff believes referee Pierluigi Collina was to blame for Barcelona’s exit from the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has branded Jose Mourinho “shameless” and claimed if Chelsea won the Champions League it would “make you want to retire”.

UEFA has told Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to stop criticising referees.

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho last night launched an astonishing double attack on Swedish referee Anders Frisk and UEFA as he raised the stakes even higher ahead of tonight’s crucial Champions League return leg against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho was today ordered to keep out of UEFA business after claiming he had inside knowledge Pierluigi Collina would take charge of tomorrow’s Champions League match against Barcelona.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho’s prediction came true today when Pierluigi Collina was appointed referee for his club’s second leg Champions League match with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.

Italian referee Pierluigi Collina looks set to end his career in the summer and take a desk job.

ITALIAN soccer referee Pierluigi Collina was yesterday awarded an honorary degree to mark his contribution to the sport.

Czech Republic 0 Greece 1 (Silver goal)

Greece 0 Czech Republic 0

Marek Jankulovski insists he will not shrink from the battle when he and his Czech team-mates face Greece in tonight’s Euro 2004 semi-final – even though a yellow card would rule him out of Sunday’s decider.

Italian official Pierluigi Collina has refused to rule out coming to referee in the Premiership in the 2005-6 season after he has passed the retirement age of 45 for Italy’s Serie A.

Euro 2004 final referee Markus Merk has lambasted the way his fellow official Urs Meier has been treated by sections of the English press for his decision to chalk off Sol Campbell’s “goal” in the quarter-final with Portugal last Thursday.

Swiss referee Urs Meier will have his performance during the England v Portugal quarter-final match rated by UEFA before deciding whether he will officiate in the tournament again.

CHELSEA coach Jose Mourinho has picked out Italian referee Pierluigi Collina as the star of the tournament.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has picked out Italian referee Pierluigi Collina as the star of Euro 2004.

The world’s best referee Pierluigi Collina is to receive an honorary degree from a British university.

There was dismay in the Portuguese press on Sunday as the host nation digested the 2-1 defeat by Greece in the Euro 2004 tournament opener that has severely compromised their hopes of qualification for the knockout stages.