Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel was left seething after a controversial decision by the linesman and referee cost his team dearly in the Champions League semi-final clash against Real Madrid. The match, which ended 2-1 in favor of Real Madrid, saw Bayern desperately searching for an equalizer in the dying moments of the game.
The incident occurred in the 13th minute of added time, with only nine minutes initially allocated for stoppage time. As Bayern pushed forward, a clearance by Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy led to an offside call against Bayern, resulting in the referee blowing his whistle. The decision ultimately led to Bayern’s elimination from the competition.
Tuchel, visibly irate, labeled the decision as “a disastrous choice by the linesman and the referee.”
The controversy surrounding the offside call deepened as replays suggested that the decision may have been a close one. Assistant referee Tomasz Listkiewicz raised his flag as the ball fell into an open space in the box, prompting the referee Szymon Marciniak to halt play.
While no goal was scored from the subsequent play, the incident raised questions about the timing of the offside call and the involvement of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The assistant’s decision to raise the flag immediately, rather than wait to see the outcome of the attacking phase, added to the frustration of Bayern and their fans.
The match also brought into focus the responsibilities of the referee in such high-stakes encounters. Despite the technical correctness of the assistant’s decision, many argued that more discretion should have been exercised given the importance of the game.
With tensions running high and the outcome of the match heavily influenced by the offside call, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for clarity and consistency in officiating, especially in crucial moments of top-level competitions like the Champions League.