Van Persie blasts referee over 'joke' dismissal

Arsenal's Dutch forward Robin van Persie (L) is sent off during their Champions League football match Barcelona vs Arsenal at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Van Persie labelled his sending-off in the 3-1 defeat by Barcelona as a 'joke' here on Tuesday.

Arsenal's Dutch forward Robin van Persie labelled his sending-off in the 3-1 Champions League Last 16 second leg defeat by Barcelona as a 'joke' here on Tuesday.
Van Persie, who was only passed fit to play on the morning of the match, was scathing about Swiss referee Massimo Busacca questioning why was he even officiating the match after a second booking in the second-half for shooting after the whistle had gone saw him sent off.
"My sending off was hugely influential on the outcome of the match," Van Persie told Sky Sports.
"It was a total joke. How can I hear the whistle when there are 95,000 fans jumping up and making noise.
"He's (Busacca) been bad all evening and I don't know why he's here.
"They are unbelievable these people."
Busacca was according to reports involved in a fiery exchange with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in the tunnel after the final whistle but the Gunners handler refused to go into details.
"I told him what I thought about his decision face to face," he told Sky Sports.
"He must never have played football at that level (the highest level) to have made that decision as he did."