Blatter: Webb faced ‘a very hard task’

FIFA president Sepp Blatter yesterday insisted under-fire English referee Howard Webb had a “very hard task” in Sunday night’s fiery World Cup final.

Webb produced a record 14 yellow cards plus a red in the final between Spain and the Netherlands but Dutch players have claimed he favoured the Spanish.

Other critics have suggested that Webb should have been even tougher and sent off Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel rather than just booking them.