A new analysis of the contentious Champions League encounter between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich on Wednesday has shown that the game should not have been stopped for an offside call.
Bayern Munich was on the verge of securing a remarkable semi-final triumph at the Bernabeu, thanks to Alphonso Davies’ powerful strike, but the game turned upside down in a tumultuous ending.
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Thomas Tuchel, the manager, had brought on several defensive replacements, shifting to a five-man defense and taking Harry Kane off the field.
Real Madrid’s relentless pressure eventually paid off when Manuel Neuer, who had been outstanding up to that point, failed to hold onto a shot, allowing Joselu to score from the rebound.
A mere three minutes later, Joselu, the ex-Stoke City striker, scored his second goal, clinching the win for Real Madrid after an extensive VAR review for offside.
The Bayern squad was visibly upset, yet they had more than 10 minutes of stoppage time to score an equalizer. Despite missing their top four attackers, they still created a significant opportunity towards the end.
A hopeful long pass was sent into the penalty area and cleared by Ferland Mendy, but it only reached Noussair Mazraoui, who then found Matthijs de Ligt. The defender calmly placed the ball into the net’s bottom corner.
However, the linesman had flagged for offside before the ball got to him, and referee Szymon Marciniak had already blown the whistle, causing Real’s players to stop playing before De Ligt made his shot.
Nonetheless, officials are generally advised to allow play to continue in close offside situations, and Bayern was understandably frustrated that the play was halted prematurely – a frustration that would only grow upon learning that the play was actually onside.
A huge talking point last night in the Champions League…
Our pictures show that Noussair Mazraoui is onside. So why did the linesman flag so early? #beINUCL #UCL #RealMadrid #RealMadridBayern pic.twitter.com/CaaN05BrVS
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) May 9, 2024
beIN SPORTS footage has verified that while De Ligt was in an offside position when the initial pass was made, Mazraoui, who was contesting the ball with Mendy, was not offside.
Since De Ligt did not go for the initial ball, he was not actively involved in the play, meaning the action should have been allowed to continue.
Bayern’s players were seething in the mixed zone afterwards when they spoke to the media, with De Ligt saying: ‘The linesman said to me, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake”.
‘The rule says that if it’s not clear offside … you have to keep playing.
‘And if you go in the last minute and you whistle like this, I think this is a big mistake. If it’s offside or not, I don’t know, VAR can check it, but if you don’t check it, how can you see it? This is a shame.’
Tuchel was also annoyed, telling TNT Sports: ‘There was a disastrous decision from the linesman and the referee. It feels like a betrayal in the end.
‘The linesman says sorry but that does not help. To raise the flag in a moment like this… The referee sees we get the second ball and we get the shot. It’s hard to swallow but that’s the way it is.’
Real Madrid will now take on Dortmund in the final of the Champions League at the very start of next month, while Bayern will end the campaign trophyless for the first time in over a decade.
