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Why did referee Damir Skomina high five Gerard Pique in Barcelona’s 3-0 demolition of Juventus in the UEFA Champions League?
Anoche Piqué fue el VAR de Skomina y ayudó al colegiado a amonestar al que era..."choca esas cinco" pic.twitter.com/wdrxsE3YAT
— RAFA GUERRERO ⚽ (@LaLigaDeRafa) September 13, 2017
It’s because the Barcelona defender saved the ref’s blushes when Skomina was about to book the wrong player.
Semedo stopped Douglas Costa as Juventus mounted a counterattack, by pulling the attacker from the back. Costa fell right where Samuel Umtiti was standing, and the referee’s initial intention was to erroneously book the French defender, according to ex-referee Rafa Guerrero.
Pique intervened, and Skomina booked the correct player, Semedo. Skomina then thanked Pique for his service as human VAR, and hence, the high five.