Graham Poll has insisted the Chelsea conspiracy theory over their controversial Champions League exit is nothing but wishful thinking. The former top Premier League official was speaking in the wake of Norwegian referee's Tom Henning Ovrebo's poor performance at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Poll said on Radio Five Live: "I refereed in UEFA for 13 years. I was involved for 11 years in their very top group, their top 30 referees. I did two World Cups.
"Never was there any suggestion, any thoughts about 'it would be nice if this team won' or 'could you do this team a favour'. I promise you.
"You cannot guarantee things in life because you are always shocked by things, but it's 99.9% certain that there is not a possibility of anything untoward here. It doesn't happen."
And Poll hit out at the antics of the disgruntled Chelsea players after the game.
Poll said: "He (the referee) had a bad day at work and unfortunately for a referee that gets highlighted.
"Irrespective of that, you can't possibly condone the behaviour of the Chelsea players at the final whistle and even before that.
"Michael Ballack looked like he'd taken leave of his senses. Drogba issuing a foul-mouthed - and deliberately so - [tirade] to a camera, to television.
"And you just think: this is a game of football, a very important game of football, granted, but it is only a game of football."
The appointment of Ovrebo was also criticised, with suggestions that as he officiates in the Norwegian League, he is not experienced enough for such a big match.
On his appointment for the Champions League semi-final, Poll said: "UEFA don't do these things lightly. UEFA look at a referee's form, a referee's previous that season.
"But it does look like, and this is not with the benefit of hindsight from my perspective, they picked a surprisingly inexperienced official to handle such a massive game.
"You know that Chelsea-Barcelona is going to be a tough, tense, very testing encounter for any referee.
"You look at it and say was Tom, a Norwegian guy, the right man for the job.
"But it's the reaction, which is completely disproportionate and out of place, that's the issue I think. Not the fact the guy was maybe not quite experienced to referee the game."