In a shocking turn of events, Thomas Tuchel revealed that the linesman apologized to him for a late offside call that ultimately led to Bayern Munich’s Champions League semifinal exit at the hands of Real Madrid. The controversial decision left defender Matthijs de Ligt fuming, describing it as a “disgrace” that cost his team a chance at victory.
The match, which ended in a dramatic 2-1 victory for Madrid, saw them advance to the final with a 4-3 aggregate score. De Ligt thought he had equalized in stoppage time, only for the referee to halt play for offside before he could strike the ball into the net. The decision sparked outrage among Bayern players and fans alike, with Tuchel deeming it a “disastrous” and “betrayal” by the officials.
Tuchel’s comments came in the aftermath of the match, where he expressed his frustration with the referee and linesman’s decision-making. He criticized the call as a violation of the rules and questioned why Bayern were not given the same opportunity as Madrid, who benefited from a VAR decision that overturned an offside call on Joselu’s winning goal.
De Ligt echoed Tuchel’s sentiments, emphasizing that the rules dictate play should continue if the offside call is not clear. He pointed out the inconsistency in the officials’ decision-making, noting that Madrid was allowed to play on after a similar situation with Joselu’s goal. The Dutch defender labeled the situation as a “disgrace” and called for a fairer application of the rules in future matches.
Despite the controversy, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti dismissed Bayern’s complaints in a post-match press conference. He highlighted an earlier disallowed goal from Nacho Fernandez, citing a push on Joshua Kimmich as the reason for the decision. Ancelotti defended his team’s actions, claiming that Kimmich had dived and that the referee’s decision was justified.
The fallout from the match has reignited the debate around VAR and the interpretation of offside rules in football. Fans and experts alike have called for greater consistency in decision-making and a clearer understanding of the rules to prevent similar controversies in the future. The incident has once again highlighted the importance of fair play and the need for referees to uphold the integrity of the game.
In conclusion, the late offside call in the Champions League semifinal between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid has sparked outrage and debate among fans and players. The controversial decision ultimately cost Bayern a chance at victory and raised questions about the consistency of officiating in football. As the dust settles on this contentious match, it serves as a reminder of the need for clarity and fairness in the application of the rules to ensure the integrity of the game..
Thomas Tuchel said the linesman apologised to him for a late offside call in Bayern Munich’s Champions League semifinal exit at the hands of Real Madrid on Wednesday, while Matthijs de Ligt described the call as a “disgrace.”
De Ligt thought he had equalised in stoppage-time when the ball fell to him in the Madrid box and he struck home, but referee Szymon Marciniak had already stopped play for offside. The match ended in a dramatic 2-1 victory to Madrid minutes later that saw them advance to the final 4-3 on aggregate.
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Speaking to TNT Sport, Tuchel said: “It was a disastarous decision from the linesman and the referee. It feels almost like a betrayal in the end because of that decison. It was a huge fight, we left everything on the pitch. We were almost there. Now we have to say congratulations to Real Madrid.
“The linesman said sorry … The referee does not have to flag — he sees that we win the second ball, he sees that we get a shot away,” he added. “To whistle is a very, very bad decision. It’s against the rules, and it’s a bad decision from both of them. It’s a disaster, tough to swallow, but it is the way it is.”
After the match, De Ligt said Bayern were not afforded the same opportunity by the official as Madrid, pointing to Joselu‘s winner, which was flagged for offside after he had scored and was later awarded by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
“I think we all know the rules. If the offside call is not clear, you have to play on! This is the rule! I find it a little bit of a disgrace. The goal of Joselu was also almost offside and they keep on playing, so why not with us?” De Ligt said.
Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti rejected Bayern’s complaints in a postmatch news conference. He pointed out that his side had an earlier equaliser from Nacho Fernandez disallowed due to a push on Joshua Kimmich, who “dived,” Ancelotti claimed.
“The move is quite clear, the linesman raised his flag, the referee blew his whistle and we stopped,” Ancelotti said. “If they complain about that, we can complain about Nacho’s disallowed goal, because Kimmich dived, the two of them were pushing each other.”
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ESPN said Bayern’s De Ligt slams ‘disgraceful’ offside call in UCL exit
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