Bayern Munich’s Max Eberl on referee’s late mistake: “The referee said it was his mistake. We can’t buy shit from that.”

Speaking in the mixed zone (via Sky Germany) after Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Real Madrid, Max Eberl gave his thoughts on the game.

On the referee’s decision not to consulate VAR after Bayern’s late offside goal from Matthijs de Ligt, Eberl said: “There is nothing to explain. There is zero comma zero to explain. How many years has the VAR been around? For how many years has this offside rule been in way? This is already highly curious and dubious for me,”

Eberl then added: “He whistled, so no video assistant can intervene anymore because it was in front of the goal. The referee said it was his mistake. We can’t buy shit from that.”

It is said that referee Szymon Marciniak said sorry to Bayern after the mistake. On the apology, Eberl said: “Logically, this is a mistake. We all don’t need the football rules, we know exactly what is. And if a situation is not yet finished, it is finished and then checked. Everyone was in favour (of an all-German final), only the Polish referees were not in favour. Accordingly, I will keep my fingers crossed for BVB in the final.”

Bayern defender de Ligt also admitted that referee Marciniak said sorry: “He also said: Sorry, I didn’t see that.”

Bayern had taken the lead in the semi-final through an Alphonso Davies strike and were leading up until the 88th minute after Thomas Tuchel had decided to make some questionable substitutions to try and preserve the lead, however, this back fired as Manuel Neuer fumbled a Vinicius Junior shot into the path of Joselu to equalise before the former Hannover striker scored three minutes later to win the tie for Madrid. 

However, there was controversy right at the end after Bayern played a long ball forward, which was headed into the path of de Ligt who scored but the goal was ruled out for offside too early without any chance for a VAR check. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan