CHELSEA manager Guus Hiddink said it would be impossible to prove claims Uefa did not want an all-English Champions League final.
The London side were furious about a number of what they saw as clear penalties which were not given by referee Tom Ovrebo as Barcelona progressed on away goals thanks to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge achieved with an injury-time leveller by Andre
s Iniesta.
According to Sky Sports, some of the Chelsea players were speculating afterwards that Uefa wanted to avoid a repeat of last year's all-Premier League final.
Asked about it on Sky Sports 2, Hiddink said: "You can never prove this but it's just sad and it's out of emotion but if you see five, six situations, not just one..."
Chelsea dominated the semi-final second leg and seemed to destined to seal a date with Manchester United for the second year running after Michael Essien's wonder strike, particularly when Eric Abidal was dismissed for a challenge on Nicolas Anelka.
But the referee denied Chelsea a number of spot-kicks for perceived offences including a shirt pull on Didier Drogba and handballs by Gerard Pique and Samuel Eto'o.
Hiddink said: "We are so disappointed because there are two issues. One is that we could have and should have scored in some open situations and because we talk a lot about the not given penalties.
"Didier's shirt-pulling is okay, we had (Thierry] Henry's situation in Barcelona, okay. But there were three other situations that were so clear. I shall not say what we really feel but it's injustice.
"It's not just that you can be mistaken. It's difficult, for instance, for the red card of Abidal on Anelka – difficult because, I think, Anelka was through, he touched with his left leg Anelka.
"You can discuss these situations for a referee.
"But if you have seen clearly and he was five yards
away], if you have seen clearly the ball on Pique... If he was blocked there is also an assistant referee.
"There's one I think with the shot on Eto'o and he's turning around and you have to have your arms down. Those two situations make you think."
The full article contains 372 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
