Emre Can was also the first after the final whistle. In the 100 minutes of the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 at Stamford Bridge in the London district of Fulham, the Borussia Dortmund professional excelled when it came to opposing Chelsea attackers or controlling their own game from deep . Can didn’t want to stand back when it came to giving the referee his opinion after the game. Apparently there was a lot to discuss with Dutchman Danny Makkelie, because Can was immediately followed by a number of colleagues in black and yellow.
It was probably not kind words that they uttered after losing 2-0 to see them eliminated from the premier club of European football despite winning 1-0 at home in the first leg three weeks ago. Can was also the first to erupt in front of the Prime Video TV camera afterwards. “It was the referee’s fault today,” he began, not in the mood to weigh the words he was uttering. Then he asked rhetorically: “How can you give the second penalty in such a situation, how does that work?” Can’s answer: “I just don’t understand it!”
In this case, the clarification was not difficult at all: the football rules dictate it. When German international Kai Havertz shot from the penalty spot in the 51st minute when Chelsea were 1-0 – Raheem Sterling had scored just before half-time (43′), several players from both teams were already in the penalty area. The rules state that all players other than the kicker and goalkeeper must be “at least 9.15 meters from the penalty spot, behind the penalty spot, inside the field of play and outside the penalty area” when the shot is taken.
“He hits the post, done, done!”
That was not the case. In addition to Chelsea player Ben Chilwell, who was the first to run into the penalty area before Havertz shot, there were also several Dortmund players in the forbidden zone, including Salih Özcen, who cleared the ball a little later after the ball bounced off the post. Rule 14, Penalty Kick, states the consequences: “If a player from each team commits an infringement, the penalty kick shall be retaken, unless one of the players commits a more serious offense (e.g. illegal cheating).” Makkelie was made aware of the offense by his video assistant and decided to repeat it.
Havertz was allowed to play again and was successful on the second try with a shot into the same corner as before (53rd). There are also solutions in the event that only players from one team misbehave: If only Chilwell had run into the penalty area too early, Dortmund would have been awarded an indirect free kick. If only Dortmund had started too early, the execution would have been repeated. But Can had no ear for all these subtleties of the rules on Tuesday evening: “I don’t give a shit who ran in before. He hits the post, done, done!”
