Borussia Dortmund’s managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke defended Jude Bellingham after his verbal attack on referee Felix Zwayer. He himself does not fear any consequences for the 18-year-old.
“His sentence is not wrong, even if he doesn’t have to say it. But that’s also due to the emotionality that you have to admit to an 18-year-old,” said Watzke kicker.
After the game, BVB was furious about the decisive hand penalty against Mats Hummels, which Robert Lewandowski converted to the 3-2 final score. Bellingham took place on the Norwegian television network Viaplay Fotball clear words: “What do you expect if you broadcast the biggest game in Germany to a referee who has already been involved in match-fixing?”
Bellingham alluded to the big betting scandal surrounding Robert Hoyzer in 2005, in which Zwayer was also involved and was then banned for six months. According to information from image the DFB control committee already determined based on the statements that a criminal complaint by referee observer Marco Haase had also been filed. “The control committee will examine the statement of the Dortmund player Jude Bellingham for its relevance to sports criminal law,” said chairman Anton Nachreiner SID.
But Watzke does not believe that the statements will have any consequences for Bellingham. The young Englishman had “not insulted anyone, but described a fact. I cannot imagine that this would result in any disadvantages for him.”
Kahn on Bellingham: “huge step too far”
Sports director Michael Zorc also stood behind Bellingham. “The boy is 18, speaks after a heated, emotional game. He names old facts, you don’t have to do that. He’s just a hot spur,” he said SID and added: “The things are now in the world, but we stand by him. I don’t see anything problematic under criminal law.”
Bayern Munich’s CEO Oliver Kahn sees it a little differently. “I’m the last one who has no understanding for players. You also say things that you regret afterwards. Only, of course, that goes a step too far. A huge step,” said Kahn Sky90: “I can’t remember any player ever giving anything like that. I don’t know where he got it from, how he got the idea to make such a statement.”
BVB: Watzke criticizes referee Zwayer
Watzke also criticized Zwayer’s performance. He had “not shown his best performance”, he said and also complained about the “arrogant nature” of the referee when explaining his decisions after the game.
In addition to the Hummels scene, a duel between Lucas Hernandez and Marco Reus in the Munich penalty area was also the subject of discussion. Zwayer said, “It was undisputed because there was only contact in the upper body area and he rated it,” explained Watzke. On the TV pictures, however, it can be “clearly” seen that “there was also a clear contact downstairs”.
