Referee Busacca’s colourful history

MASSIMO BUSACCA is not thought to have reacted when Arsene Wenger confronted him in the Camp Nou tunnel on Tuesday night, but if he did it would not have been the surprise as the Swiss has previously been banned for making a gesture at fans who abused him.

The 42-year-old enraged Arsenal by dismissing Robin Van Persie as he deemed the striker’s shot after being called offside as time-wasting, with Barcelona scoring twice after the sending-off to win 4-3 on aggregate.

Both Van Persie and Wenger confronted Busacca, but the official has developed a thick skin during his 21-year refereeing career.

The nadir of his professional life came in 2009, in a game between Young Boys and FC Baden.

A Baden goal led to their supporters staging a pitch invasion, and after Busacca ordered a message to be broadcast over the PA system he eventually took matters into his own hands, giving them a middle finger salute.

The gesture was caught on camera and the Swiss FA banned Busacca for three matches, saying: “He is the best Swiss football referee in present times but ban had to be imposed as his behaviour was unsporting and deplorable.”

And Busacca himself admitted his actions were inexcusable.

“I lost my cool and it should have been avoided, I was wrong and I will pay the price for getting provoked by the crowd,” he said.

Busacca was also criticised after his performance in the World Cup Group Stage clash between South Africa and Uruguay, in which he awarded a penalty and sent-off the hosts’ goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune for a professional foul.

“Many people have said he is the worst referee we have seen in this whole competition and it was unfair the way he handled the game,” said South Africa boss Carlos Alberto Parreira.