Nfter the end of the Europa League round of 16, coach Christian Streich from SC Freiburg criticized the fact that the players from Juventus Turin were not penalized for time wasting. “A team that is fouled has a disadvantage,” he said on Thursday evening after the 0: 2 (0: 1) in the second leg against the Italian record champions. “In the event of a foul, no one should be allowed to touch the ball. Whoever does it gets a yellow card. Everything is sanctioned, but not – internationally and in the Bundesliga too. That is completely puzzling to me.”
Streich wanted the rules to be adjusted. “Why isn’t it done like in handball? If a player from the other team picks up the ball after a foul, he shall be given a yellow card. That goes for three weeks, after that nobody does it anymore, ”said Streich. “And who benefits from it? The football, because the game can continue and that creates fairness.”
Captain Christian Günter also disagreed with referee Serdar Gözübüyük’s performance. The Dutchman awarded a penalty in the first half after consulting the video referee because Manuel Gulde had unluckily hit the ball on his forearm. Gulde, already warned, saw the yellow-red card to make matters worse. Dusan Vlahovic converted the penalty kick and thus initiated the defeat of the Breisgauer.
“Should I cut off my hands?”
“Football has to ask itself a fundamental question,” said the international. “If you get shot from two meters, then I don’t know how that can be a deliberate handball.” Günter also alluded to the decisions in the Champions League in his criticism. Among other things, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig had to accept controversial decisions. “It’s okay for me if a handball is given when the shot is taken from ten yards. But that’s madness. The rule is complete nonsense. Should I cut off my hands? That does not work. That is decided by people who have never been on the pitch themselves.”
In the end, however, Günter’s pride and great desire to repeat what he had experienced on the European stage prevailed. “It was fun playing at the highest level, playing in other countries and playing during the week,” said the international.
The chances of being able to travel through Europe again in the coming season are good. In the Bundesliga, the Breisgauers are in fifth place. They could also qualify as quarter-finalists via the DFB Cup. “We have to step on the gas again and get our points,” said Günter, referring to the match on Sunday (7.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN) at FSV Mainz 05.
Penalty and sending off: Manuel Gulde gets the ball on his arm.
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Image: dpa
The sports club gained courage because it acted on an equal footing against the favorites. Freiburg made the Italian record champions falter, emanated more goal danger than in the past few weeks and gained even more sympathy with their courageous performance. Despite being eliminated, they were cheered by the vast majority of the 33,420 fans for a long time after the final whistle.
Coach Streich also praised the performance. “It was my personal wish: no matter what happens and no matter how things are, my players should just keep going and work everything through and offer Juventus a big fight,” said Streich. “The manner was just great and you always had the feeling that if we scored something unbelievable could happen.”
But the goals came on the other side. A much-discussed handball by Gulde, who also received a yellow-red card for it, resulted in a penalty. Dusan Vlahovic converted, although the penalty was not taken well. Substitute Federico Chiesa scored the final score in added time. Argentina’s world champion Ángel Di Maria, who decided the first leg with his goal to make it 1-0, did not play.
Streich found it difficult to return the focus to day-to-day business. “I don’t really want to talk about Sunday,” he said, but then did: “Mainz will attack us and come with a brutal force.” But Freiburg are prepared. They’ve proven that enough this season.
