Juventus star Medhi Benatia blasts 'absurd' Lucas Vazquez foul — Real Madrid penalty

Medhi Benatia of Juventus fouls Lucas Vazquez of Real Madrid, leading to a penalty being awarded during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match between Real Madrid and Juventus at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 11, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. However, the holders of the European trophy were awarded a late penalty deep into stoppage time after Mehdi Benatia was adjudged of a foul on Lucas Vazquez by referee Michael Oliver.

And, as both sides pushed for the all-important victor - with extra-time looming, Benatia's contact on Vazquez inside the box prompted Oliver to point to the spot, with captain Gianluigi Buffon sent off and Ronaldo coolly obliging with the penalty.

"We are sad, because we played the game we wanted to and past year the same thing happened to Bayern Munich", Benatia told Mediaset Premium.

The decision stood and after four minutes of delay, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to smash the ball past substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and send Real into the semi-finals and keep their hopes of a third successive European crown alive. Yes, Cristiano knocked the ball to me near the penalty spot and, just as I was about to finish it off, the centre-back came from behind me and ran me down.

Benatia then fumed about Oliver's decision to send off Buffon.

"You can see the ball bounce off my foot and change direction". The minutes until the penalty kick are everlasting, but we have to be very happy because we are onto the semifinals.

Madrid will now join Roma, Liverpool and Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, as Juve rue this costly and contentious decision.