Stuttgart, Germany – The words echoed through the Mercedes-Benz Arena and quickly spread across social media: „Ich mag den eh nicht.“ Translated loosely as „I don’t like him anyway,“ the blunt assessment came not from a furious Freiburg player, but from Deniz Undav, the Stuttgart striker who had just scored the equalizer that sent the DFB-Pokal semifinal into extra time.
His comment, delivered in the immediate aftermath of a refereeing decision that disallowed what appeared to be a go-ahead goal for SC Freiburg, captured the universal disbelief that gripped both benches and the stands on April 23, 2026. What should have been a celebration of Stuttgart’s resilience turned into a debate about one of the most controversial moments in recent DFB-Pokal history.
According to match reports and verified accounts from the German football outlet WELT, the incident occurred in the first minute of extra time. SC Freiburg had appeared to accept the lead when Lucas Höler struck the ball past Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel. However, referee Tobias Welz and his assistants had already blown the whistle, ruling that Stuttgart defender Jeff Chabot had been fouled during the buildup.
Replays showed minimal contact between Chabot and Höler as the Freiburg attacker attempted to position himself for the shot. Welz deemed it a foul, negating the goal and preserving Stuttgart’s 1-1 draw from regulation time. The decision triggered immediate protests from Freiburg players, with captain Christian Günter later stating, „If that’s a foul, then I think I have to finish my career today, due to the fact that that’s really nothing.“
The controversy did not end on the pitch. In post-match interviews, both teams expressed astonishment at the call. Undav, whose 70th-minute goal had leveled the tie after Maximilian Eggestein’s 28th-minute opener for Freiburg, did not mince words. Speaking to Sky Deutschland, he told Welz directly, „Ich habe ihm gesagt, dass es eine Frechheit ist, das wegzupfeifen.“ („I told him it was an outrage to wave it off.“)
Even Stuttgart’s head coach, Sebastian Hoeneß, acknowledged the validity of Freiburg’s frustration. „Die Situation darfst du nicht abpfeifen,“ he said. („You must not whistle that situation down.“) Hoeneß added that his team would have reacted similarly had the decision gone against them.
The incident overshadowed what was otherwise a dramatic encounter. Stuttgart, the defending champions, had looked lethargic for much of the match, falling behind to a well-taken Eggestein finish before Undav’s header restored parity. The game appeared headed for a penalty shootout until Tiago Tomas unleashed a stunning strike in the 119th minute to seal a 2-1 victory and send Stuttgart to a second consecutive DFB-Pokal final.
Yet the joy of advancing was tempered by the manner in which it came. Freiburg’s players and staff felt aggrieved not only by the disallowed goal but by the overall match management. Welz had issued four yellow cards in the opening 18 minutes, setting a tense tone that never fully dissipated.
Christian Günter’s critique extended beyond the single incident. Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, he criticized Welz’s communication and consistency throughout the match, suggesting the referee had lost control of the game’s flow.
For Stuttgart, the victory means a return to the DFB-Pokal final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on May 23, 2026, where they will face FC Bayern Munich in a rematch of last year’s title decider. Stuttgart won that encounter 3-1 to claim the trophy, and will seek to become the first team to retain the DFB-Pokal since Bayern Munich’s three-peat from 2019 to 2021.
The focus now shifts to preparation for that final, though the referee controversy will likely linger in discussions about officiating standards in German football’s cup competitions. Both clubs have declined to lodge formal protests with the DFB, opting instead to move forward, but the incident has reignited debate about the employ of VAR in subjective foul judgments during critical moments.
As the football world turns its attention to the impending final, the image of Deniz Undav shaking his head in disbelief although confronting Tobias Welz remains a potent symbol of a night when even the victors questioned the integrity of the result.
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