Second time in three seasons, Bayern Munich fell short He regretted the referee’s decision in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.
A free-kick that should have resulted in a second yellow card for handball by Paris Saint-Germain defender Nuno Mendes was overturned after just 29 minutes, when Bayern desperately needed a return to Wednesday’s game.
“If PSG had lost a player so early, that would have been a decisive moment,” said Bayern’s Konrad Reimer, who was ultimately ruled to have handled the ball seconds earlier on the advice of the fourth official.
There was potential two years ago. Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt scores in stoppage time Forcing extra time at Real Madrid was ruled out as the flag for possible offside, which was remote at best, was quickly raised.
In 2024, then-Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel called the on-field ruling a “disastrous decision” that “almost feels like a betrayal”.
It has been six years since six-time European champions Bayern last faced each other in a final, and they have also been eliminated in the semi-finals twice.
A further frustration was that Nuno Mendes’ play pass for handball was not reviewed by the VAR system. However, a similar incident could occur next season when the rules are updated.
important moment
PSG took a deserved lead in the third minute in Munich on Wednesday with Ousmane Dembele’s quick strike. Skills and speed of Hvitya Kvaratskhelia.
This made it 6-4 on aggregate against PSG, and Bayern were looking for a major change of pace.
It looked like it was coming when Reimer darted forward and flicked the ball past Nuno Mendes, but his outstretched right arm widened and blocked the ball.
Referee João Pinheiro blew his whistle and signaled Bayern a free kick with his left arm. Another yellow card to Nuno Mendes, who had already been booked for tripping Michael Oliseh, seemed inevitable.
Before Piñeiro arrived at the spot to take the free kick, his right arm was extended in the direction of PSG’s play. The Portuguese referee gave a thumbs-up to the fourth referee on the touchline, Norway’s Espen Escazu.
Reimer was adjudged to have handled the ball several meters (yards) behind him when he first controlled the bouncing ball. Television rebroadcasts were inconclusive.
“I didn’t feel it during the game. I thought I played the ball with my stomach and Mendez played the ball with his hands,” Reimer said. “Five seconds later the referee blew the handball whistle. That was really strange.”
No VAR review
of VAR protocols today You’ll now be able to video review ‘obvious errors’ in four game-changing situations, including goals, penalties, direct red cards, and mistakes when the wrong player is shown a red or yellow card.
starts from world cup next month, VAR can intervene Overturning a red card if a second yellow is shown by mistake.
Nuno Mendes was not shown a second yellow on Wednesday. However, if a similar situation were to arise next season, the referee would likely follow his first instinct and watch the entire sequence of play on a pitchside monitor.
“I thought he was giving,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said of Piñeiro moving towards Nuno Mendes’ second yellow. “I felt he got sent off because he realized he had already given a yellow and didn’t want to get sent off for that, but he turned the game around.
“I’ve looked at it from several angles, and it doesn’t look like Conrad Reimer touches the ball with his hands.”
Instead of playing for an hour against PSG, who were one man behind, Bayern faced a full-strength opponent, but they did not concede until Harry Kane’s late goal at 1-1, reducing the overall score to 6-5.
Minutes after Reimer’s decision, Bayern had a penalty for a handball by PSG’s João Neves correctly denied for a teammate who had hit the ball on his arm. Its nuances are not specified laws of the game But it is stated in a supplementary document called soccer rules.
PSG will defend their Champions League title against Arsenal on May 30, but Bayern’s wait continues.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
