Salihamidzic and Kimmich’s conspiracy theory under review

Upamecano shouldn’t have seen a red card for his alleged emergency brake against Alassane Pléa in the 8th minute, the very light contact on the arm wasn’t enough. The fact that the decision was not withdrawn despite a three-minute VAR review – or at least checked by referee Tobias Welz on the sidelines – seems puzzling.

The anger at FC Bayern was correspondingly high: coach Julian Nagelsmann, whom Welz had shown the yellow card during the game, stormed into the referee’s cabin after the game. On the way back through the catacombs, he called Welz and his team “softened pack”.

For sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, this wrong decision was “the crowning glory” of a development: “In the last few weeks it has been the case that you have been disadvantaged.” Joshua Kimmich agreed: “At the moment you have the feeling that one or the other 50-50 decision will be made against us.”

Is that correct? A look at the seven previous second half games.

Paris Saint Germain – Bayern Munich (0:1)

There were two tricky scenes in the victorious round of 16 first leg of the Champions League: FC Bayern was unlucky once, lucky once. It was undisputed that Benjamin Pavard saw his second yellow card in injury time and therefore had to leave the field – but with his first warning for a foul on Neymar, the English referee Michael Oliver could have left it at a warning.

In contrast, FC Bayern was lucky (and ultimately right) when Kylian Mbappé’s supposed equalizer hit. He was so offside that the computer could just figure it out.

VfL Bochum – FC Bayern (0:3)

During the game, Julian Nagelsmann repeatedly complained to the fourth official about referee Matthias Jöllenbeck and received a yellow card shortly before the break – after complaints about a justified free kick for Bochum. Jöllenbeck’s penalty for FC Bayern after Saidy Janko fouled Serge Gnabry was also correct.

VfL Wolfsburg – FC Bayern (2: 4)

Like now in Gladbach, there were big discussions in Wolfsburg two weeks ago about a dismissal against FC Bayern. The victim at the time: Joshua Kimmich. His first yellow card for an unnecessary shove against Mattias Svanberg was undisputed, the second for a tactical foul against Maximilian Arnold was trickier. Kimmich crossed his opponent’s path and caught him on the shoulder. A tough but justifiable decision by referee Harm Osmers. “It was very little,” Kimmich complained afterwards.

Meanwhile, Osmers rightly denied Yannick Gerhardt’s supposed goal to make it 3:4. Ridle Baku had previously fouled Leon Goretzka. The only thing that was surprising was why he didn’t blow the whistle straight away, but waited until the goal was scored.

FSV Mainz 05 – FC Bayern (0:4)

Controversial scenes of decisive proportions remained in the clear victory of FC Bayern in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup. Because the Mainz bench was complaining anyway, Deniz Aytekin showed coach Bo Svensson the red card. “He asked loudly if we were blind,” reported Aytekin. “We won’t let ourselves be insulted, that’s the limit for me.”

FC Bayern – Eintracht Frankfurt (1:1)

Sven Jablonski made a few debatable decisions in the duel design as well as in corner kicks and throw-ins, but he did not make any serious mistakes.

FC Bayern – 1. FC Cologne (1:1)

There were also no major referee discussions in the home game against 1. FC Köln. Tobias Stieler had no problems whatsoever with the mostly fair game.

RB Leipzig – Bayern Munich (1:1)

FC Bayern’s second half of the season had three controversial scenes to offer – and all three were decided justifiably. Daniel Siebert denied a goal by Leon Goretzka because Matthijs de Ligt was just offside in the run-up and attracted two Leipzig players in the process. Probably the right decision. That’s exactly how it was with the yellow card for Dayot Upamecano when Leipzig called for red because of an alleged emergency brake.

When Marcel Halstenberg equalized, Munich pleaded that André Silva fouled Joshua Kimmich in advance. Yann Sommer therefore presented a Manuel Neuer complaint arm on his debut, Salihamidzic then spoke of a “clear foul”. The supposed victim Kimmich and Nagelsmann judged the scene like Siebert. “I don’t see any illegal hits there. That’s okay,” said the coach.

Conclusion

Before Upamecano’s unjustified red card against Gladbach, the referee Welz in a one-two on Sunday sports1 defended, there were a total of five contentious scenes in the previous seven games in the second half of the season – four of which were actually decided against FC Bayern. But each of them was understandable to a certain extent, there can be no question of a fundamental disadvantage.