The referee's decision was doubtful, Bayern's draw was invalid, and Real Madrid's promotion to the final reappeared in controversy.
In the second leg of the Champions League semifinals, Real Madrid reversed Bayern 2-1 at home to advance to the final, but there were a number of controversial penalties in the game. Most notably, Bayern's goal-equaliser in stoppage time was cancelled by the referee at an early whistle, a decision that sparked strong discontent on both sides. Real Madrid's two goals were also controversial, with the winner being ruled offside at one point, which was eventually confirmed valid by VAR intervention.
Bayern Munich equalised in stoppage time when defender De Ligt's shot went straight into the corner. Referee Marchiniak had already blown the penalty to stop the game due to the assistant referee's offside flag. According to the rules, the referee should let the offensive action end before awarding the penalty, rather than blowing the whistle directly. De Ligt later said that the assistant referee had apologised to him and admitted the mistake.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel was furious with the decision, criticising the referee's decision as a "betrayal" against the rules. "It was a very bad decision and a complete violation of the rules. "The referee should let the attacking action go after the decision is made, rather than blowing the whistle when the ball is scored. This is simply a betrayal. ＂
Real Madrid's two goals were also controversial. In stoppage time, Manuel Neuer scored an own goal when he cleared the ball and Real Madrid equalised. The winning goal was Jouselu's shot from inside the box, which was once ruled offside but was confirmed to be valid after VAR intervention.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti did not comment too much on the referee's decision. "We should respect the referee's decision and they are working hard," he said. Sometimes there are some mistakes that cannot be avoided. Carlo Ancelotti also admitted that there was some controversy about Bayern's goal that was cancelled by the whistle.
A number of authoritative media also commented on the penalty. Sky Sports called Marchiniak's decision "ridiculous". Spain's Marca newspaper believes that Bayern's goal that was whistled "should obviously be counted as valid".
The penalty controversy in this game undoubtedly had a certain impact on both teams.
For Bayern, the disallowed equalizer was undoubtedly a blow to the club. The team already has a 1-0 lead on the road, and if that goal is counted, Bayern will advance to the final under the away goals rule. Being beaten out by Real Madrid now will undoubtedly be a blow to the confidence of the players.
Bayern midfielder Guerreiro couldn't hide his disappointment in an interview after the game, "We could have qualified, but the referee's decision ruled us out of the final. This is a huge blow to us. ＂
Real Madrid, on the other hand, were thrilled by the victory. Although they fell behind in normal time, they eventually supported the Jedi with the strength of the penalty decision, which will undoubtedly add confidence to their road to the final.
Real Madrid star Karim Benzema said excitedly after the game: "It was an incredible game! It took a lot of courage and determination for us to come back from behind and to qualify. Now, we're going to give it our all and fight for the title! ＂
In addition to the impact on the team, the controversy over the decision in this game also affected the reputation and credibility of the referees to a certain extent. As a veteran Champions League referee, Marciniak has been highly regarded in the past. But this penalty error undoubtedly put a stain on his career.
The chairman of the UEFA refereeing committee, Roberto Rossi, also criticised Marchiniak's performance, saying: "He did make some serious mistakes in this game. This kind of mistake is unacceptable, and we will investigate it in depth. ＂
This match once again sparked a reflection on the level of referees and the rules of refereeing. Some experts and scholars believe that the adjudication rules should be further improved, especially in the use of VAR.
On the other hand, there are also calls for improving the professional quality of referees and strengthening training to reduce erroneous decisions.
"Referees should have enough expertise and judgment to make the right decisions at critical moments. Former Bayern boss Hoeness Wiener commented, "They also need to be brave enough to admit their mistakes. ＂
Some fans and members of the media believe that a more fair and transparent referee accountability mechanism should be established to ensure fair competition.
"The practice now is that referees rarely explain or apologize for their mistakes after the game. "This is unacceptable and undermines the credibility of referees." They should take greater responsibility for their decisions. ＂