It would quickly become clear on Tuesday evening in London who would play a leading role in the draw between Arsenal and Bayern (2:2). It was only the 9th minute of the game when referee Glenn Nyberg showed FCB defender Alphonso Davies the fatal yellow card – a tough decision from the Swede, the Bayern star is suspended for the second leg.
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A verbal warning would have been enough so early in the game for Davies to step on Bukayo Saka’s foot, criticized Mathias Sammer on Prime Video. Especially since the Canadian went into the duel with Saka inhibited three minutes after his warning, who shortly afterwards scored the Gunners’ opening goal.
Referee in the spotlight after two penalty scenes
But the main role was not played by Davies, but by the 35-year-old referee, who was the focus of attention after the game due to two controversial scenes in the penalty area.
In his first knockout game in the premier class (previously four group stage games), Nyberg decided against a legally clear penalty for the German record champions in the 67th minute after Arsenal’s Gabriel picked up the ball with his hand in the penalty area after a short goal kick.
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The Brazilian may have been thrown off course by an unusual whistle from the referee, but it came after a substitution and was therefore correct.
Debate about Bayern referee: “That’s not an argument for me”
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel reported that Nyberg said he did not want to point to the point in such an important game because of a “childish mistake.” “I think the referee didn’t have the courage today to give a deserved penalty in a somewhat crazy and delicate situation,” complained Tuchel on TNT Sports.
Was it due to a lack of experience that Nyberg denied Bayern a legitimate penalty? In an interview with SPORT1, former top referee Urs Meier clearly spoke out against it.
“Nyberg has already played in Champions League games, that is not an argument for me,” emphasized the Swiss, who nevertheless criticized the referee harshly on the matter: “The ball is free, it is in play. Handball is handball, period,” he said to the Gabriel scene: “If the players don’t know the rules, they don’t know the rules. Then they just have to learn the rules. We’re not playing handball. Why does he take the ball in his hands?”
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However, Meier (who refereed 42 CL games himself) did not want to accept the excuse of “lack of experience” and gave an example from his own past: “My third Champions League game was the semi-final between Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund in 1997. I have three United’s goals at Old Trafford were annulled, Manchester were eliminated, there were no complaints about them. Routine helps, but the important thing is how the referee is assessed.”
Urs Meier: “Nyberg is one of the shooting stars”
He also added that in the parallel game between Real Madrid and Manchester City (3:3) Francois Letexier (34, previously only used one knockout game in Bayern’s 0-1 defeat against Lazio Rome) was also a comparatively inexperienced referee ” “acted really confidently”.
Meier therefore did not accept the argument of lack of experience. “Nyberg is one of the shooting stars and has risen quickly. So it has to have quality,” affirmed the Swiss.
Meier used a comparison as justification: “It would be the same with the players at the beginning if you said: ‘Mbappé is too young, Bellingham is too young.’ It’s the same with the referees.”
Discussions also about Saka vs. Neuer
The exciting question about the potential hand penalty is: Would there have been similar reactions from Arsenal afterwards if Nyberg had pointed to the spot? Would he have been accused of blowing the whistle too pettily and thereby deciding the game?
The fact is: Gabriel’s “childish mistake” was not the only controversial scene. Immediately before the final whistle, Saka fell in the Bayern penalty area after contact with Manuel Neuer. The England international initiated this himself, but there were still discussions – and again Nyberg was one of the main people.
2024-04-10 21:42:20
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