The game between 1. FC Union Berlin and SV Werder Bremen was over and the cameras were not positioned around the football actors. But about the freshly showered referee Daniel Schlager. Union won 2-1, taking a huge step towards staying in the league (with eight games remaining, the lead over relegation place 16 is a full nine points). But Schlager was consulted because the Bremen team felt disadvantaged in a crucial scene: when Yorbe Vertessen struck in the 51st minute for the first part of the Köpenick double strike that would ultimately bring down Werder.
“What do we have the video referee for?” asked Werder goalkeeper Michael Zetterer after the game, and found that the scene in question offered a “prime example” of the mandatory intervention of the VAR. Vertessen had shot, and just as the ball flew from nine meters towards the top left corner, Union striker Mikkel Kaufmann jumped in front of the goalkeeper. “He’s standing right in front of me in the field of fire!” complained Zetterer. But the referee vehemently contradicted the images. Kaufmann was offside, yes. But that wasn’t a criminal offense because it didn’t impair the keeper’s field of vision. The video referee saw it the same way, reported Schlager.
Ole Werner was surprised: the referee must have been shown different pictures than he was, said Bremen’s coach. On the one hand. On the other hand, he also wanted Werder to concentrate on the things that the club could influence. In the end he could only agree with his colleague Nenad Bjelica, who claimed that Union deserved to win.
For a whole half, the only seductive thing was the smell of bratwurst
This was true, among other things, because 98 seconds after Berlin took the lead, Bremen’s deep sleep phase continued and resulted in the Union team making it 2-0 (Brenden Aaronson/53rd minute). And because this lead was only shortened by Mitchell Weiser (63′). Werder could also count on the cooperation of their opponents: after a corner from Marvin Ducksch, Weiser headed in from three meters only because Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow froze into a column in the six-meter area.
Up to the gates – that is, for a whole half – the only seductive thing you could smell in the An der Alten Försterei stadium was the smell of bratwurst that wafted onto the lawn from the grill stalls on the forest side. It was a game that could easily be called intense, but also poor in quality to the point of being indigestible. There was less order and structure on the green lawn rectangle than in the Berlin subway stations during rush hour, but there was more friction. What broke the game? That Aaronson suddenly had a clear vision.
He could hardly see anything in the first half, “I think my pupils are still dilated,” said the American after the game, and that could definitely be confirmed. His guess: He accidentally rubbed the substance, which he had smeared on his chest to breathe more freely, into his eyes. Shortly before the break, Union had their first chances of the game through Aaronson and Lucas Tousart, each following corners. But it wasn’t until Aaronson had washed his eyes out that one could see anything like the flow of the game at Union, because of Aaronson in general and his interaction with Vertessen in particular.
Since coach Nenad Bjelica took over in November, Union has won five of seven home games
Not even the short-term interruption of the game by referee Schlager due to the use of pyrotechnic products by Werder fans brought Union out of step (75th). Against a footballing terribly pale Werder, who couldn’t really celebrate Liverpool loanee Naby Keita’s first Bundesliga appearance since October, a short phase of footballing enlightenment was enough for a further step towards staying in the league. Since Nenad Bjelica took over in November, Union have won five of seven home games and only lost against Dortmund. Werder, on the other hand, is stagnating and looks back on 30 points, but also on four winless games in a row (three defeats, one draw).
It is doubtful that Unioner’s 29 points or Bremen’s 30 points are enough to stay in the league, but there are still eight games to be played. And even such a relegation battle ultimately depends on the dynamics, which are more positive at Union than at Werder. The Berliners travel to Frankfurt on the next match day, Werder welcomes the struggling VfL Wolfsburg. Given the current situation, that would probably be good news if Bremen didn’t have to do without a number of emergency services again. Because in the second half, three players, Jens Stage, Senne Lynen and Mitchell Weiser, were shown yellow because they were already under pressure – and are now suspended.