It’s always surprising how archaisms emerge in football. Emotions appear that were long forgotten because the many technical innovations promise the infallibility of the referee team. For example: on Tuesday evening in the first leg of the round of 16 in the premier class between RB Leipzig and the 14-time Champions League winner Real Madrid. Because the team around the Bosnian referee Irfan Peljto fulfilled all the requirements to be branded as “goons” – the once common but long-silent insult from outraged spectators. The fact that Leipzig lost to a dream goal from Brahim Díaz (49th) also had a lot to do with the referee.
The game began with the completely absurd cancellation of a goal by Benjamin Sesko. In the second minute, Real Madrid goalkeeper Andrij Lunin failed to clear a corner well, and Benjamin Sesko headed the ball into the goal. Although Sesko was not offside, the assistant raised the flag. The review by the video referees revealed something monstrous: confirmation of the cancellation. Which drew attention to the score sheet. Because among the VARs was the Dutchman Paul van Boekel, who has been responsible for a whole series of bizarre wrong decisions over the course of his career in front of the screen – and, among other things, cheated the German women of a clear penalty in the 2022 European Championship final in England.
Further, smaller wrong decisions followed, which suggested that Real Madrid enjoyed immunity on Tuesday. Among other things, a foul by right-back Dani Carvajal on Xavi Simons, which went completely unpunished, although it was at least worthy of a yellow card. Marco Rose received a warning at the end of the first half – when his hat string had long since burst and he loudly protested to the referee.
At this point, his team had put in one of the better performances of the year. The aggressive, high pressing worked as well as the experiment of using Benjamin Henrichs, who usually plays on the wing, as a defensive midfielder alongside Xaver Schlager. Toni Kroos’ team, who were booed surprisingly violently by the Leipzig audience, had difficulty gaining control of the game. And she was lucky that Sesko’s vision was clouded when he was brilliantly cleared twice by Dani Olmo (10th/20th).
After the break, Real Madrid struck. With the brilliance of Brahim Díaz, who replaced the injured Jude Bellingham. He received the ball on the right chalk line and moved inside. Brahim first prevailed against David Raum, then against Xavi Simons and finally against Willi Orban – and fired a fantastic left-footed shot from the right of the left post (48th). The referee then had another little humiliation in store for Leipzig. He showed RB defender Mohamed Simakan a yellow card for a casual offense in the opponent’s penalty area, which has consequences: Simakan is suspended for the second leg.
Leipzig reared up again. But the Saxons’ game lost clarity in their actions. At the same time, the space that RB offered the guests increased – for example in the 72nd minute, when Vinícius hit the post with the outside of his foot after a counterattack led by Brahim. Rose tried a triple substitution: Poulsen, Haidara and Elmas came on for Openda, Henrichs and Olmo. Madrid’s brilliant goalkeeper, Ukrainian Lunin, had three more opportunities to show exceptional class – with shots from Xavi (81′), Sesko (83′) and Haidara (84′). But it remained the Madrilenians’ 1-0 victory, which offered the Leipzig team little hope of progressing. The last time record champion Madrid lost an away win in the knockout phase of the premier class was in the round of 16 of the 2018/19 season – against Ajax Amsterdam.