Soccer Bundesliga
“Didn’t do the right thing” – Dortmund’s referee’s frustration after a draw in Bochum
Dortmund’s captain Marco Reus had a lot to discuss with referee Sascha Stegemann
© Imago Images
Once again Borussia Dortmund leaves important points in the fight for the championship with a relegation candidate. After the game, the coach and board are angry – at referee Sascha Stegemann.
Sebastian Kehl could not be reassured after the setback in the title race. In the catacombs of the Ruhr Stadium, the sports director of Borussia Dortmund became unusually loud after BVB’s 1-1 draw at VfL Bochum. “Today things didn’t go right,” said Kehl late on Friday evening. “Today I just have to say, the referee won the game for me.” Thanks to the draw, FC Bayern can overtake Borussia again on Sunday and regain the top of the table.
Kehl and coach Edin Terzic were upset about three game-changing scenes. Before Bochum were 1-0 up, they saw a foul on Emre Can. In addition, Dortmund should have received two penalties from their point of view – a foul and a hand penalty. Referee Sascha Stegemann did not watch any of the disputed scenes again on the TV monitor at the edge of the field.
“Cheeky, cowardly, wrong” – Sascha Stegemann is Dortmund’s scapegoat
“I think it’s cheeky when you’re dealing with the tools you have these days – which we either get excited about or are lucky about every weekend – with five games to go when it comes to the absolute decision, when it comes to the German Championship goes, does not look at this situation,” said Kehl. “Not to use the tool that we have at our disposal in this situation I think is absolutely negligent, I think it’s cowardly and completely wrong. We are incredibly angry about it.” Stegemann “cost BVB two points”.
Terzic also clearly criticized the referee team and got really emotional. After the game, the 40-year-old spoke to the referees. “I just told the referee and the entire team of referees what I think of these decisions and how much is at stake here,” said Terzic. “I said I apologize for my tone, I apologize for my emotions.”
The coach added: “It’s a unique opportunity for us, it’s maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to get so close to the championship trophy. And then there are decisions like this where so much is at stake. The only what I asked: Check it out if you’re not sure about the pacing.”
Soccer Bundesliga
The chances of the clubs in the fight for the title and relegation are so good
He himself is “referee every day in training” and knows “how brutally difficult it is. Especially when the boys are traveling at 36 km/h, when there are fast balls”. Terzic added: “What I simply demand is that you do everything you can to not make a wrong decision. And that didn’t happen today.”
Even Bochum knew that they had been lucky in winning the point in the relegation battle, which was important from their point of view. “You can whistle, no question,” said captain and goalscorer Anthony Losilla. Coach Thomas Letsch did not want to comment on the scenes.