BVB loses again against Ajax: Hummels rages over the referee after red

Wednesday, November 03, 2021

BVB loses again against Ajax
Hummels rages over the referee after red

Referee Michael Oliver plays an inglorious leading role in the match between Borussia Dortmund and Ajax Amsterdam. He sends Mats Hummels off the pitch early with red. Schwarzgelb still takes the lead, but Ajax strikes back late and sustainably.

Impressive fight, bitter end: Borussia Dortmund failed to take the hoped-for revenge for a historic disgrace against Ajax Amsterdam when they were outnumbered. After an excessive red card for Mats Hummels, the passionate BVB lost the second leg against the Dutch record champions 1: 3 (1: 0). On November 24th, Dortmund will have to go to a “final” at Sporting Lisbon to make it to the last sixteen in the Champions League.

Hummels criticized referee Michael Oliver in an interview after the final whistle at DAZN. “I have no idea how that can be red.” He also doesn’t understand “how a referee at an alleged CL level can come up with the idea of ​​giving red.” The defense chief assumes that Oliver “decided the game and that he knows it”. He also accused his opponent Antony of acting, who rolled over the lawn expressively in the action and was able to continue playing shortly afterwards, apparently free of symptoms. “Great footballer, maybe hopefully he’ll be a good athlete.”

Strong, passionate, hot-headed at times – BVB showed in front of 54,820 spectators in an electrifying atmosphere everything that it had missed at the 0: 4 in Amsterdam two weeks ago. Marco Reus (37th) brought the cup winner with a penalty kick after video evidence – the whistle was just as questionable as Hummels’ expulsion for gross foul play (29th). Dusan Tadic (72nd), the former Frankfurt Sebastien Haller (83rd) and Davy Klaassen (90th + 3) turned the game for clearly superior guests.

Erling Haaland was sitting in the VIP box with a black bobble hat, at the center there was an unlikely representative ready to kick off: Steffen Tigges, recently a third division striker in the Dortmund U23, was allowed to take the lead – not star shopping Donyell Malen, not Reus, not Thorgan Hazard. The demonstration in Amsterdam had worried and annoyed coach Marco Rose, “a completely different face” should now be seen. BVB actually tried hard to get possession of the ball and to radiate dominance, the not only combative Jude Bellingham should have headed into the empty goal after an excursion by goalkeeper Remko Pasveer (8th). The ball flew by.

Hummels is stunned

Ajax, a performance show in modern pace football in the first leg, let itself be pushed in behind and staggered. Rose had exchanged ideas with Frank Wormuth, Heracles Almelo coach: He managed a surprising 0-0 win against Ajax in the league – he recommended rigorous physical toughness, among other things. For Hummels’ tackle against Antony, however, yellow instead of red would have been appropriate, and accordingly the defender crept off the field, stunned.

Ajax shuddered after a weak start and became more active. Daley Blind and Antony found depth on the outside positions, BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel had to fly for the first time (22nd). On the other hand, Pasveer dived with lightning speed in a Reus shot (25th). The game was attractive and offensive – but not one-sided this time. However, the statics changed: Marin Pongracic came for Hazard to close the back four that had been decimated by being sent off. Before the penalty kick, the English referee Oliver looked at the pictures of an alleged foul on Bellingham at least this time.

Ajax reacted furiously, with great chances from Lisandro Martinez (44th) and Steven Berghuis (45th + 2). BVB managed to keep the ball away from his goal for a few minutes after the break. However, Amsterdam pulled the noose tighter and tighter, it was an exhausting Dortmund fight in their own penalty area. Every ball win was enthusiastically celebrated by the audience, the professionals threw themselves into the shots regardless of losses. Then they ran out of strength.