Real Madrid and Bayern Munich recently played an intense Champions League semi-final, which ended controversially. Bayern thought they had scored a late equalizer in the second leg at the Bernabeu, only to be denied by a controversial offside call. Referee Szymon Marciniak blew his whistle after his assistant, Tomasz Listkiewicz, flagged for offside. Bayern defender Matthijs De Ligt, as well as Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel, expressed their frustration with the decision, with Tuchel going so far as to call it a “disastrous” decision that felt like a betrayal.
The incident occurred in the 13th minute of added time when the ball was played towards Bayern’s Nouassir Mazraoui and De Ligt as they chased a late equalizer. Listkiewicz flagged for offside as Mazraoui and De Ligt challenged Madrid’s Ferland Mendy for the ball. Replays showed that the decision was very close. After Marciniak blew the whistle, Thomas Muller scored what would have been the crucial goal, but Madrid players had stopped playing after hearing the whistle. This led to furious reactions from Bayern players and staff, who berated the officials before play resumed.
The question arises as to why play was stopped when VAR technology exists. Since the introduction of VAR in 2016, offsides have been routinely checked after the fact. Assistant referees often refrain from signaling offside during live play if it could potentially lead to a goal. Instead, they wait until after a goal is scored or the play dies out before raising their flag to signal an offside. The VAR then checks the offside and either confirms or reverses the decision. The Champions League also utilizes semi-automated offside technology, which uses video cameras to monitor players’ body positions.
However, in this case, the whistle had already been blown before De Ligt “scored,” so the VAR could not review the decision. UEFA has not yet commented on the incident.
The reaction to the decision was intense, with Bayern players and staff expressing their fury. Tuchel argued with Listkiewicz, while Muller exchanged heated words with Marciniak. Tuchel described the decision as disastrous and almost like a betrayal. De Ligt mentioned that the linesman had admitted his mistake but ultimately stated that he does not blame the loss on the referee.
UEFA has previously advised assistant referees not to raise the flag if they are unsure about a potential offside situation when VAR is in place. Timing is now considered an essential element of their job, and they must know when to raise the flag to avoid problems with the final decision.
Real Madrid’s victory means they will face Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley Stadium next month. Borussia Dortmund secured their place in the final by beating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the semi-final second leg. The final will take place on June 1st.