Champions League linesman stupid to wear Barcelona shirt

OSLO, May 16 (Reuters) Assistant referee Ole Hermann Borgan admits he was stupid to pose for newspaper pictures in a Barcelona shirt the day before officiating the Champions League final between the Spanish club and Arsenal.

Borgan, 41, posed in Barcelona's red and blue striped shirt for Tuesday's edition of Norwegian newspaper Drammens Tidende.

''It was both thoughtless and stupid of me,'' Borgan said afterwards on the newspaper's website.

''I didn't think the situation and consequences through when I was asked to put on the shirt.'' He added that posing for pictures in the shirt would not influence his judgement in Wednesday's final in Paris.

The referee for the final, Terje Hauge of Norway, was criticised by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in February for sending off Asier del Horno during a 2-1 Champions League defeat against Barcelona.

Hauge has refereed 95 international matches, including at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. He was not selected for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

REUTERS DH VC2005