Frustration over defeat
Dortmund’s Bellingham complains about the referee: “What do you want to expect?”
Borussia Dortmund’s Jew Bellingham is annoyed by a decision by the assistant referee. After the final whistle, Dortmund’s young star criticized the performance of referee Felix Zwayer.
© Bernd Thissen / DPA
It was a top-class match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. After Bayern’s 3-2 victory, another man is in the spotlight: Referee Felix Zwayer caused plenty of discussions with two decisions.
Cheers from Munich, outrage from BVB. After FC Bayern’s 3: 2 (2: 1) in the spectacular soccer summit against arch rivals from Dortmund, the discussion was less about the worthwhile exchange of blows between the two teams and more about the performance of the referee team. “The game deserved a different outcome and a different decision-making process,” complained BVB coach Marco Rose, making no secret of his annoyance at the referee: “Mr. Zwayer can whistle a few more BVB games. We are here, we are ready. He can throw a few more stones and sticks in our way. We’ll carry on. “
Jude Bellingham was even clearer than the coach – and shot over the target. “You give a referee who was already involved in match-fixing the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?” Said the 18-year-old England international on the Norwegian broadcaster Viaplay Fotball.
Zwayer was a key witness in the Hoyzer scandal
In 2005, Zwayer was one of the key witnesses in the case of referee Robert Hoyzer, who manipulated games. Hoyzer had been sentenced to two years and five months in prison without parole for aiding and abetting fraud. At that time, Zwayer was retroactively banned by the DFB for several months because he had not reported his suspicions against Hoyzer earlier. In the meantime, however, the FIFA referee has long been rehabilitated.
The background for the Dortmund frustration was the game-winning penalty by Robert Lewandowski (78th) for Bayern after a handball by Mats Hummels, which Zwayer only gave after studying the video images. Rose was angry on the sidelines and was then sent to the stands. Despite all the criticism, Zwayer saw himself in the right. “The video referee made an assessment for himself and said:” Hummels stretched his arm away from the body in an unnatural position. “Then I looked at it on the monitor and came to the conclusion that it was a criminal handball,” said the Berliner at Sky.
BVB frustration about not given a penalty
However, the fact that Zwayer had refrained from viewing the TV images a few minutes earlier after Lucas Hernandez had tackled BVB captain Marco Reus in the Munich penalty area increased Dortmund’s anger. “My penalty scene was also 50:50. He should at least have seen that,” criticized national player Reus. “We always had the feeling that we could win the game. And then of course it is doubly bitter when we are punished like that.”
Even Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed understanding for Dortmund’s displeasure with Zwayer’s different approach. “I understand that the two situations can spark discussions. In my opinion, both penalties can be given.”
The joy of Munich over the seventh win in a row against the Revierclub could not tarnish that. Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic embraced Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann after the end of the hard-fought game. “We are very proud of these three points,” commented the coach, whose team is now four points ahead of BVB. Midfielder Leon Goretzka agreed: “It was about more than three points today. It’s also about the supremacy in Germany.”
Robert Lewandowski becomes the match winner again
Once again, Robert Lewandowski proved to be the match winner in a game against his former club. Even the scornful “Messi-Messi” shouts of the BVB fans, alluding to the award of the Ballon d’Or to the Argentine superstar during the week instead of the second-placed Bayern striker, did not bother the Polish striker. With two goals he decided the game almost single-handedly. “It probably spurred him on. He also paid the stadium something back,” said Nagelsmann.
The evening was less pleasant for Mats Hummels than for Lewandowski. After all, the BVB defense chief was involved in all three goals. Before the 1-1 draw with Lewandowski (9th) he made a bad pass, before the 2-1 draw with Kingsley Coman (44th) he was shot unlucky by teammate Raphael Guerreiro. And with his unintentional handball, the veteran finally initiated the defeat. Coach Marco Reus refrained from criticizing Hummels and attested his team a good performance: “It was a great football game between two teams with open sights, but with a bad outcome for us. Overall, we wanted to send out a signal – also regarding the result. In terms of performance, we did it. “