Referee scandal at Bayer Leverkusen: “A kind of strength” – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Hellmut Krug did not have time. Within seconds, grabbed the former Bundesliga referee his stuff in the press box of the Leverkusen stadium and hurried toward the exit. He was the man of whom you now hoped answers.

Who should be able to better explain how it goes further than the current “adviser to the German Football League in matters of refereeing”? Especially now, when Felix Zwayer, umpire of Topspiels between Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund (0: 1), had gone into the cabin after 68 minutes because Bayer coach Roger Schmidt refused to put the whistle. But Krug disappeared.

That was the -second thus get the sporty moderate meetings of the League Fourth an all overshadowing Aufreger, pitcher should already have been aware of the way down.

And as soon the game was over, there was in fact no other issue more. Players, coaches and officials talked about the nine minutes in which rested the ball. Particularly Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Völler, the desolate rumbled towards the referee on the TV microphone. In the catacombs he tried later sarcasm: “Whether the Lord Zwayer is now banned, I do not know I can I not imagine..”

Schmidt spoke in a tour on the fourth Official a

The question of course, had it specifically whether his coach must expect a forced break now. Had he not responsible for the interruption, because he would not leave without personal conversation with Zwayer his place on the sidelines.

“The referee has signaled to me from 45 meters that I want the whistle. I demanded that I at least once a justification for wars,” Schmidt said afterwards. He knew exactly what he had done wrong “. Yes, of course there was a reason I complained in the first half several times,” the 48-year-old later admitted that the during the game in a tour on .

His final outburst was fourth official Christoph Bornhorst had persuaded Schmidt, as the Dortmunder had performed a free-kick just six meters from the place of the tackle. From the quick turn, the goal of the day by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang originated. Zwayer who, afterwards defended his decision to run the game, Schmidt then sent to the stands, but just stood there.

interruption rule compliant

So he left Bayer captain Stefan Kiessling the news to. But Schmidt continued to wait on Zwayer. Until the too colorful was and he himself went into the cabin. A few meters away from Schmidt. Without him even to look at.

It was a bizarre situation that had never been seen in 52 years Bundesliga Football. You could in the weeks prior to the German Football Association Sport Court are on the case.

Zwayer said of his decision, Schmidt was “relatively applied due to the back door and my decision” was. He did it “considered appropriate to maintain the distance in the situation”. He also reject it on principle, “that a coach demands by defying a clear statement to obtain a personal statement on the sidelines”. Quite compliant.

Bayer midfielder Christoph Kramer hit the nail on the head well when he “a kind of strength” described the scene.

The continued even after the game. When asked whether it would not have been meaningful for the sake of peace, to take the short route to Schmidt, he said smugly, “I would have been conditionally still able but it is true that a significant contact. was. “

Schmidt turn gave himself purged at the beginning of his statement. “Since I was too stubborn,” he said, but then significantly to tinker on the same theory that Rudi Völler had already spread.

“That will not be punished this hand penalty, of course, the madness,” he said on a clear handball by BVB defender Sokratis the box after the game was interrupted. “He has returned the favor. Therefore, he has not caught the penalty”, already Völler was safe.

Schmidt said afterwards at several times that he does not hope, “but I find no other explanation one, not to whistle as a penalty.” He felt even recalls handball goalkeeper Andreas Wolff at the scene. “And if the linesman this penalty does not whistle at line of sight, then maybe because I was a bit too emotional and the referees has perhaps felt attacked.”

This statement could for Roger Schmidt still a have injury.