Spanish media split over Van Persie bookings

FAIR result, unfair ref.

That more or less sums up the Spanish reaction to Barcelona’s controversial defeat of Arsenal — in Madrid at any rate. In Catalonia itself they naturally see things rather differently.

“What are they moaning about?” demanded Barcelona sports paper Mundo Deportivo. “In London they’re complaining that Robin van Persie’s dismissal determined the Gunners’ game. Yes, obviously it did — but the Swiss official should have reduced Arsenal to nine men and also given a penalty for the foul on Messi when the score was 0-0.”