Hands up! This is Real Madrid

Real Madrid are in the semi-final of the Champions League thanks to Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai. The official was in the spotlight at the Bernabeu because the home supporters feared he could harm their European hopes in the same way they feel Jose Mourinho's side were unfairly given a penalty against them in 2012 against Bayern Munich. But those fears did not become a reality. The opposite, in fact. The referee was an ally as Madrid reached the last four. 

The Hungarian official served their passage to them on a plate when he awarded a second yellow card to Arturo Vidal when the Chilean had not even committed a foul. It left Bayern, level in the tie at the time, with a numerical disadvantage. The German side had to play with one man less, but still the referee continued to give decisive decisions in Madrid's favour: Cristiano Ronaldo's second and third goals were offside and should have been ruled out. If one error of this type can be lethal, three is an armed robbery. 

So Madrid once again depended on a referee to stay alive in the Champions League, in the same way that they've had decisions go in their favour in domestic competitions during the current campaign, too. There have been a number of decisions which have allowed them to build the advantage they currently have at the top of La Liga going into the Clasico on Sunday against Barcelona.

Bayern now know what it's like to play in Madrid. And to fight against such adversity is something Barcelona know all too well. Maybe at the next Santiago Bernabeu trophy, Madrid should play against a team of referees -- because they'll all be invited.