During the intense match, the Polish referee and his assistant halted the action prematurely in the 13th minute of added time, disallowing Matthijs de Ligt's goal, which would have leveled the score for Bayern and possibly led to extra time. Their decision prevented the opportunity for a VAR analysis in such a crucial moment.
Following the match, the Polish referees issued an apology to the German team. Bayern Munich's coach, Thomas Tuchel, while acknowledging the apology, emphasized the significance of the Champions League semifinal and expressed his disappointment with the timing of the mistake.
"At this level, such mistakes have no right to happen. Apologies afterward don't change the outcome. You have to give your best on the pitch. If someone undermines your effort, nothing can console a person," Tuchel remarked.
Despite Marciniak's reputation as one of the best referees globally, Tuchel criticized the officiating in the pivotal moment of the match, stressing that such errors should not occur in modern soccer.
"However, what the referee and his assistant did in the play is against all the rules of modern soccer. You can't raise the flag if you're not 100 percent sure there was an offside play. And it was an extremely close situation", Tuchel said.
Real Madrid ultimately secured a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich, advancing to the Champions League final. The team will face Borussia Dortmund in the quest for their 15th European Cup at London's Wembley on June 1st.
(jh)
Source: PAP