Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel slammed a late offside call, calling the decision an "absolute disaster" as Real Madrid eliminated his side in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.
With Real 2-1 up having come from behind with two late goals, Joshua Kimmich put in a long pass which was headed centrally by Thomas Mueller for defender Matthijs de Ligt to score in the 12th minute of stoppage time.
Real, who drew the Munich tie 2-2, went through 4-3 on aggregate.
The goal did not stand after the linesman raised his flag earlier in the move before the ball went in the net, therefore ruling out a VAR review.
🚨 Thomas Tuchel on referee’s mistake: “This would not have happened on Real Madrid side”. pic.twitter.com/SF0rAWPPYh
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‘Absolute disaster’
An animated Tuchel ran down the sideline after the decision. After the match, he told broadcaster DAZN the decision was "a disaster, an absolute disaster”.
"We have to let the action play out until the end. That's the rule, especially since it's so close to the goal, and it's so limited.
"The first error is made by the linesman, the second comes from the referee," Tuchel said.
The 50-year-old coach told broadcaster TNT the decision "felt like a betrayal”.
Speaking at the press conference, Tuchel said the referee apologised but added: "It doesn't help to say sorry.
"Everyone has to go to their limit, everyone has to suffer, everyone has to play without making mistakes. So the referee has to be at that level too.
"It just doesn't help to make excuses after the fact.
"You are on the field for this reason, because you are the best there is. And we have the right to expect that until the end.”
The goalscorer De Ligt agreed with his coach, calling the decision decisive in the match.
"The scene at the end, I find it incredible. I can't understand why he (the referee) doesn't let the action play out.
"He apologised. I wouldn't want to say that Real are always lucky, but that decision makes the difference today," De Ligt told DAZN.
A disappointed Bayern captain Manuel Neuer said: "We're in the Champions League semi-finals... I think he knows it was a mistake and that you shouldn't make a decision like that so quickly."
AFP