A Manchester United fan was so outraged by Nani's red card against Real Madrid that he rang the police demanding the referee be arrested.
The 18-year-old supporter, who has not been named, was watching the Champions League showdown at Old Trafford from his home in a village near Bingham, Nottinghamshire on Tuesday.
And when Nani was sent off by Turkish referee Cuneyt Çakir for a high tackle on Álvaro Arbeloa in the 56th minute, he was so angry with the official and decided to call 999 to claim a "crime" had occurred.
"While this recent example may be amusing, it illustrates the sort of insincere calls we have to deal with on a daily basis in the control room," said Chief Inspector Ted Antill, of Nottinghamshire Police.
"They waste our time and they direct us away from genuine victims of crime, particularly if we dispatch officers out to something that turns out to be a bogus report.
"I would ask people to think before picking up the phone for emergency services. I would also advise parents to ensure your children are aware that prank calls and the reporting of made-up crimes is a crime in itself.
"There may be people out there in real trouble who need our help and they have to wait because we are tied up with calls like this one, reporting a referee from the television."
The fan later apologised for his actions, claiming to have been too wrapped up by the tension of the game.
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| Referee Cuneyt Çakir had 'committed a crime' by sending Nani off Photo: Getty Images |
The 18-year-old supporter, who has not been named, was watching the Champions League showdown at Old Trafford from his home in a village near Bingham, Nottinghamshire on Tuesday.
And when Nani was sent off by Turkish referee Cuneyt Çakir for a high tackle on Álvaro Arbeloa in the 56th minute, he was so angry with the official and decided to call 999 to claim a "crime" had occurred.
"While this recent example may be amusing, it illustrates the sort of insincere calls we have to deal with on a daily basis in the control room," said Chief Inspector Ted Antill, of Nottinghamshire Police.
"They waste our time and they direct us away from genuine victims of crime, particularly if we dispatch officers out to something that turns out to be a bogus report.
"I would ask people to think before picking up the phone for emergency services. I would also advise parents to ensure your children are aware that prank calls and the reporting of made-up crimes is a crime in itself.
"There may be people out there in real trouble who need our help and they have to wait because we are tied up with calls like this one, reporting a referee from the television."
The fan later apologised for his actions, claiming to have been too wrapped up by the tension of the game.
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