 On 27 April 2011, in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, he was sent off for a controversial challenge on Dani Alves in an eventual 0–2 home loss.However, Alves also came into strong criticism, with Real Madrid claiming the Brazilian fullback had exaggerated the incident.Additionally, sportspersons including Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen and Rory McIlroy criticized Alves' actions.