Bitter end in Madrid
Toni Kroos thinks: “Bayern’s anger is justified”
May 15, 2024, 3:09 p.m
FC Bayern Munich delivers a big game to the eternal superior team Real Madrid. At the end of an exciting Champions League duel there is great trouble. While Madrid is celebrating, they are complaining about the Bundesliga club. Rightly so, says Real star Toni Kroos.
FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are engaged in a thrilling duel in the semi-finals of the Champions League: After the 2-2 draw in the first leg, the German record champions have a great chance to win the duel a week later at the Bernabeu in the 13th minute of stoppage time to send the extension. But a controversial referee decision prevents the possible equalizer.
FC Bayern raged, coach Tuchel decided it was “not the time for apologies” from referee Szymon Marciniak. It just wasn’t any use, Real Madrid around midfielder Toni Kroos is once again in the Champions League final.
“Handling bad”
DFB star Kroos can understand the anger: “The anger is justified somewhere because you just have to play the situation to the end, 100 percent,” said Kroos in his podcast “Einfach mal Luppen”. “Handling is bad, we have to let it continue,” is Kroos’ assessment of the situation in which Marciniak blew the whistle because of an alleged offside position – and thereby deprived himself of the chance to have the situation checked by the VAR.
But he sees the mistake “mainly with the linesman,” says Kroos. “If he raises the flag now, the referee assumes that his linesman will use it exactly the same way, trusting him that it was probably three meters offside.” DAZN expert Michael Ballack had an eye on Marciniak’s assistant immediately after the game: “It’s not undeserved, but it’s highly controversial,” said the former Bayern professional: “It’s a blatantly wrong decision. The linesman makes the first mistake. Normally he has to wait. I don’t know why the flag comes so early.”
Shortly before the end of the 15-minute stoppage time, the otherwise confident world-class referee Marciniak had called off a Bayern attack prematurely for offside; the following goal from de Ligt for the supposed equalizer did not count. “I find the scene unbelievable. I can’t understand it, you have to play through it,” said de Ligt on DAZN. Marciniak apologized, the defender reported, adding: “I don’t want to say that Madrid are always lucky, but that makes the difference today.”
“Absolutely wild scene”
The score remained 1:2 (0:0). The dream of the German final at Wembley was shattered. Substitute Thomas Müller, who headed the ball to de Ligt, spoke of an “absolutely wild” scene. And goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said: “I think he knows that in the end it was a mistake and that the decision shouldn’t be made too early.” Marciniak is one of the most renowned referees in the world. In 2022, the Pole officiated the World Cup final between Argentina and France in Qatar, and last year he refereed the Champions League final.
FC Bayern had one foot in the final in Madrid until a few minutes before the end: Alphonso Davies had given his team a 1-0 lead, then former Bundesliga professional Joselu took advantage of a mistake by Manuel Neuer to equalize (88th minute) and The record champions then plunged the record champions into the vale of tears with his winning goal at the start of stoppage time. The chance to turn things around again was ruined very late by the referee team.