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Borussia Dortmund 1 – 3 Real Madrid – Three Takeaways from the UCL win.

By Alex McVey

DORTMUND, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 26: Gareth Bale of Real Madrid scores is goal during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Signal Iduna Park on September 26, 2017 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
DORTMUND, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 26: Gareth Bale of Real Madrid scores is goal during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Signal Iduna Park on September 26, 2017 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images) /
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The referees were bad, but they were bad for everyone.

Dortmund’s players appeal for hand ball to Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers (R) during the UEFA Champions League Group H football match BVB Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid in Dortmund, western Germany on September 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Patrik STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images)
Dortmund’s players appeal for hand ball to Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers (R) during the UEFA Champions League Group H football match BVB Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid in Dortmund, western Germany on September 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Patrik STOLLARZ (Photo credit should read PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images) /

The referees were really.

But… at least they were consistent?

The only people who have a legitimate complaint about the referees are neutrals for making them watch such bad decisions. Both teams benefitted tremendously from bad refereeing decisions at different points in the match.

First of all, Sergio Ramos probably should’ve gotten a red card and a penalty for this handball in the box. It was really blatant. That’s a bad miss from the referee, and would’ve radically changed the course of the game. Gotta feel bad for Dortmund there.

But then the referee decided to try to make up for his past mistake by booking Real Madrid players with reckless abandon. Luka Modric got a yellow card for time-wasting… or something…

Having Modric on a yellow card for the majority of the match was not ideal, in the least bit.

Bale also had his legs taken out by a Dortmund player in the box for what should have been another clear penalty. But alas, it was not to be.

It’s definitely true that the refs were poor. But for either fan base to be complaining that the ref rigged the game against the other seems a a bit far fetched. I’ve seen both Madrid fans and Dortmund fans complain that they were the true victims of the referee’s wrath. If we’re all being honest, though,  it was just bad refereeing all around.

Next: Player Ratings for Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund

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