Last weekend, in the top match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich, the decisions made by referee Felix Zwayer caused a stir. Opposite to SPOX and GOAL explains ex-referee Urs Meier how he perceived the contentious situations. The Swiss also talks about Zwayer’s past and the sharp criticism of the 40-year-old referee.
Urs Meier on …
… his personal assessment of the two controversial situations:
“I think I would have given a penalty in both situations. But of course that is always difficult to judge if you haven’t been on the pitch yourself and can watch it on TV 100 times in slow motion.”
… the duel between Marco Reus and Lucas Hernandez:
“That was just a push from Hernandez in the back. Reus is in a better position and is already in front of the defender. Hernandez then did it cleverly and didn’t push him very obviously. For me that is enough in the end, especially at this speed that the striker becomes unbalanced and falls. “
… the non-intervention of the VAR:
“The VAR should have intervened in this situation. At this speed, a light push is often difficult for a referee to see. The problem is that many referees are not optimally positioned for viewing from the side in such cases. Pushing or holding is then often overlooked That is why it is all the more important that the communication with the assistant and the VAR is correct. They have to notice when a referee has trouble assessing a situation precisely. Then support must come. A ‘He has now decided that, then it will He probably saw it that way too ‘must not exist. If we have the option of a video review by the VAR, we must also intervene. “
… the handball by Mats Hummels:
“Hummels is far too negligent in this action. He knows exactly that the ball will come in this direction and goes with the outstretched arm. It is clear that he certainly did not do it on purpose. But in the end it is easy too clumsy. For me it’s a clear penalty. “
… Felix Zwayer’s appointment for such a top game despite his involvement in the 2005 betting scandal:
“I have a very clear opinion about that. First of all, he was punished for his misconduct by the DFB Commission and had to sit out for six months. Of course, you can always ask in retrospect whether the punishment was severe enough. Still, you have to I say: If I had been the chief referee at the DFB and there had been a referee who would have accepted money, he would never have been a referee for me. There would be zero tolerance. “
… Zwayer’s skills as a referee:
“It was only after his suspension that his career really took off. He gained a foothold in the Bundesliga, became an international referee and has also directed important matches in the Champions League. He has shown that he can act professionally at this level . Accordingly, he can of course also lead such a top game. He has proven that countless times. “
… the sharp criticism of Zwayer after the game:
“It’s not okay to dig this up again after all these years. You can discuss whether he made one or the other mistake, but in the end he served his sentence from back then. Regardless of whether it was from the media or players or coaches – now it shouldn’t be about his past. I think this witch hunt that is currently taking place against him is pretty borderline. “
