Referee Deniz Aytekin showed compassion for the Gladbachers after the game-winning penalty replay in the Bundesliga derby between 1. FC Cologne and Borussia Mönchengladbach. “Believe me: it hurts my heart,” said the experienced referee: “But I have to implement the rule.”
Borussia goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas initially saved the penalty to make it 2-1 from Cologne captain Florian Kainz. But it had to be repeated because Nicolas had both feet in front of the line, even though he didn’t parry the weak shot thanks to this advantage. Kainz scored in the second attempt and Cologne won 3-1.
“It was made stricter that the goalkeeper has to have at least one leg on the line,” said Aytekin: “No matter how the penalty was taken. And if not, you have to have it repeated. I understand Gladbach’s disappointment. But I don’t make the rules and I have to do my job.”
“I understand every fan”
There was also work for Aytekin outside of that. “If you look at the situations calmly and soberly, they were all resolved correctly,” said the referee: “Regardless of which fan camp you belong to.” Before the first penalty, Aytekin noticed Manu Koné’s punishable handball outside the penalty area before the The video assistant made a correction and Florian Kainz (9th minute) scored from the spot to make it 1-0. On the pitch, “things are happening so quickly,” he said: “I’m glad to have my colleagues in Cologne.”
Later, when the score was now 1-1, the referee turned a yellow card into a red for Koné (72′). “When I was outside, I saw that he (Koné/d.Red) hit him (Cologne’s Dejan Ljubicic/d.Red.) dangerously. That’s why I changed my decision to red,” explained Aytekin, who then made another decision against them, to the dismay of Gladbach. “I understand every fan, especially from Gladbach’s point of view, that they are annoyed and disappointed,” said the 45-year-old. But ensuring a good mood on all sides is “not our job. We have to implement the rules, so the decisions had to be made that way.”
Moritz Nicolas parries a penalty from Florian Kainz, but the goalkeeper was already in front of the line when he shot. : Image: EPA
Sports director Roland Virkus, meanwhile, clearly criticized Borussia Mönchengladbach’s performance after the defeat in Cologne. “The first half was underground,” said Virkus: “We have a young team that still has a lot to learn. We are currently learning at the expense of results. But we actually thought that we were a little further along.” It is clear that Borussia is on a path after the upheaval in the summer. “On a journey like this you have ups and downs. It’s a shame it happened in the derby. It annoys me to deserve to lose 3-1 in Cologne,” said Virkus.
Despite only six points from eight games, he didn’t want to know anything about the relegation battle. “We’re stuck in the bottom third, no question about it. We have to score points, no question about it,” said Virkus: “But I can say shortly after the winter break whether we are in a relegation battle. There are currently many teams with few points from eleventh place onwards. That’s why we can’t talk about it right now.”
Daniel Theweleit, Cologne Published/Updated: Recommendations: 2 Daniel Theweleit, Cologne Published/Updated: , Published/Updated:
But coach Gerardo Seoane was also dissatisfied with the performance in the “deserved defeat”. “In the first half we were missing all facets of the game,” said the Swiss: “Be it tactically in the run-up, be it the intensity in the duels, be it the ball security.” Things were a little better after the break , “but if you play a first half like that, you won’t be rewarded at the end.”
