Reuter on the red card: “Then I no longer understand the world”

Things to talk about on the sidelines: sporting director Stefan Reuter (left) and FCA trainer Enrico Maassen (right).

picture alliance/dpa

The 0:3 defeat against BVB was a few minutes old when the protagonists at FC Augsburg wavered between confidence, frustration and anger. While Niklas Dorsch asked DAZN before the upcoming away game in Gladbach to “put the eggs on the table”, head coach Enrico Maassen wanted to “clear his head and take the positive with him”, sports director Stefan Reuter had another concern: he wanted to do it again talk about referee Tobias Welz, especially about his decision in the 40th minute.

In this Welz Augsburg defender Felix Uduokhai had shown the red card to Donyell Malen for an emergency brake. Less the decision itself, but rather the way to being sent off was the reason for Reuter to talk extensively about Welz again in the TV interview. Because, according to the ex-professional, of course you can give the red card. But did the referee make the decision himself? A check by the VAR was finally displayed in the stadium and the referee actually only pulled out the red card with some delay.

Of course, the goal is to win the game.

“If we get to the point where the referee no longer makes the decision on the pitch, then I won’t understand the world anymore,” Augsburg’s manager complained. After all, there wasn’t a 100% wrong decision, Reuter continued, and that’s why “I would have preferred him to look at the scene in such a situation. He’s there to make the decision.” He also wanted to discuss this with the team at halftime, but was rejected: “It was said that this was not the right time.”

While the matter for Dorsch could be assessed without a doubt (“I realized relatively quickly that this was a red card. If you know anything about football, that’s clear”), the player, coach and manager agreed on two things: The The dismissal had a major impact on the course of the game, but from now on the full focus is on the last game of the season in Gladbach.

There it is for the FCA about the last point that is still missing to stay in the class. While direct relegation is unlikely due to the clearly better goal difference compared to Schalke, there is still a risk of relegation if Stuttgart and Bochum lose and win. “Now it’s up to us. We have everything in our own hands,” said Ermedin Demirovic. It’s about “at least one point, but of course the goal is to win the game.”

“We showed what performances we are capable of,” said Maaßen aggressively, despite the misery of his team away from home, who have not won in twelve games away from home. Reuter also encourages his team: “We’ve shown often enough that we have a really good team.”