Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich: How a Referee Can Ruin a Fantastic Tie
By Ben Sundock
Ronaldo’s Two Extra Time Goals (Second Leg)
Cristiano Ronaldo was again the superstar Real Madrid needed on the big stage. There were no last minute heroics from Sergio Ramos (he actually did the opposite scoring an own goal) so it was Ronaldo who grabbed the bull by the horns and took control of the Real Madrid attack late in the match.
Earning a 9.67 rating on WhoScored, Ronaldo took 9 total shots (the most of any player on either team) and converted on 33% of those shots, registering his sixth career Champions League hat trick.
However, many have reason to doubt the legitimacy of CR7’s triumphant second and third goals in extra time to dispatch Bayern.
The second goal scored by Ronaldo, is clearly offside, upon video review.
Ronaldo is clearly a yard offside once the ball is put into him in the box. How Hungarian head referee Viktor Kassai missed this clear offside call, is a mystery. What’s more, is how did the assistant official not see Ronaldo clearly in front of Douglas Costa and David Alaba? He wasn’t on the run when he was offside, he was clearly standing in front of the last defenders.
As Squawka remarks, “Ronaldo took his second goal fantastically well on Tuesday night, but unfortunately once again Kassai and his team of officials disappointed.”
“There was little the official in the middle could do, with Kassai this time being let down by his assistant. An assistant referee at that level cannot be getting that decision wrong, with replays showing Ronaldo clearly at least a yard offside.”
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The second goal from the Dark Invader, was much more of a bang-bang call, as Marcelo burst through the tired Bayern defense and was in alone on Manuel Neuer with Ronaldo to his right.
Marcelo slid the ball easily across to Ronaldo, who redirected the ball into the empty net to complete the hat trick and seal the tie for the defending champs. Yet again, it appears Ronaldo is offside as he gets the ball from Marcelo, but it is much closer of a call.
Despite this not being the most important call of the match, it was yet another miss from another referee that affected the outcome of the match.
It is such a shame to see such a tie go the way it did.
FIFA, UEFA, and most importantly head official Viktor Kassai and his team, should be utterly and completely embarrassed with their performance and the calls they made in second leg of this great tie.
I feel terribly for Bayern the way both legs of the tie went, they certainly are deserving of better.