Almost fourteen years later, the famous Sulley Muntari goal that never was continues to stir debate. During an appearance on Viva el Fútbol, Antonio Cassano and Gianluigi Buffon shared a humorous exchange about one of Italian football’s most talked-about controversies.
The Muntari Goal Revisited
It was 25 February 2012. AC Milan and Juventus faced off at San Siro in a decisive clash for the Scudetto race. With Milan leading 1–0 thanks to Antonio Nocerino, came one of Serie A’s most disputed moments. Muntari headed the ball clearly over the line for what should have been 2–0, but Buffon clawed it back, and referee Paolo Tagliavento, along with his assistants, failed to award the goal.
The match ended 1–1 after Alessandro Matri’s equaliser, a result that proved vital for Antonio Conte’s Juventus on their way to the title. It all happened years before goal-line technology would end such debates for good.
Cassano Still Feels the Sting
Even now, Cassano admits the memory haunts him. “I swear to God, in 2011–12 I lost the Scudetto because of that,” he said, laughing but visibly stirred. “Every now and then I still bump into Tagliavento…”
He then surprisingly added: “Let’s be clear — and I don’t care what others say — for me, Juve didn’t steal anything. They had a very strong team.”
Buffon’s Playful Response
Buffon tried to shrug it off: “No… but it wasn’t in!” he said with a grin, circling around the topic as Cassano pushed on. “What? Muntari’s goal? Oh come on, let it go. We’re still talking about that?”
Lele Adani, also present in the studio, joined in with some humour: “Hey… but Gigi went to get it even though it was a metre inside!”
“Referees? I Only Remember Oliver”
Buffon then joked: “You know, I don’t even remember the referees I had…” before quickly correcting himself. “Actually, there’s one I do remember — Oliver. He’s the only one I really remember well.”
The former Juventus captain was referring to English referee Michael Oliver, at the centre of another unforgettable night for Buffon and the Bianconeri.
The Oliver Incident
It was the second leg of the 2018 Champions League quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Real Madrid hosting Juventus. The Bianconeri were leading 3–0 — a result that would have sent them through — when, in the 93rd minute, Oliver awarded a controversial penalty for an alleged foul by Medhi Benatia on Lucas Vázquez. Cristiano Ronaldo converted, making it 1–3 on the night and sending Real through.
Juventus’s fury exploded at full time, and Buffon famously vented his frustration in a post-match interview with Mediaset. His words went down in football folklore: “I’m not here to judge what the referee saw — it was a doubtful incident in the 93rd minute, and you cannot have the cynicism to destroy everything good we had done on the pitch. A human being cannot give that kind of penalty at such a moment; he wanted to be the star of the show. Instead of a heart, he has a bin for rubbish. If you don’t have the personality to officiate at this level, it’s better to watch the game from the stands with your wife, eating crisps. It’s about sensitivity, not knowledge of the rules. It means you don’t know where you are, which teams are playing; in short, you understand nothing. And let’s not forget — in the first leg, a clear penalty for us in the 95th minute wasn’t given.”
