Former Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has been handed a three game ban by UEFA following his ranting about referee Michael Oliver.
The Italian had criticized the Englishman following his side’s dramatic Champions League quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid in May.
And the continent’s football ruling body on Tuesday found the Italian shot-stopper guilty of “general principles of conduct” over his outburst and also for his red card for dissent.
According to the body, Buffon has been banned for “three UEFA competition matches for which he would be otherwise eligible.”
The last-eight clash between holders Real and Juventus was decided by a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty after the Serie A champions staged a comeback to erase a 3-0 first-leg deficit at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But Buffon, who was sent off in the aftermath of the penalty decision, lashed out at Oliver’s decision to award the spot-kick, saying the English official had a “rubbish bin for a heart.”
The 2006 World Cup winner is reportedly headingfor Paris Saint-Germain next season.
