BORUSSIA DORTMUND COACH Lucien Favre and Schalke boss Huub Stevens have both slammed a controversial penalty call that was given against Dortmund in their Bundesliga clash.
Favre believes the interpretation of football’s handball rule is becoming “ridiculous” after his team’s devastating 4-2 Revierderby defeat to Schalke turned on a penalty awarded against Julian Weigl.
Mario Gotze headed Dortmund into an early lead but Daniel Caligiuri levelled from an 18th-minute penalty, with Weigl deemed guilty via a VAR review when a shot was blasted at him from close quarters.
Dortmund unravelled horribly thereafter, with Salif Sane putting Schalke ahead and Caligiuri netting a stunning 62nd-minute free-kick either side of Marco Reus and Marius Wolf being red carded for lunging tackles on Suat Serdar.
I’ve never experienced something like this, it’s difficult to deal with,” Favre told Sky, after Breel Embolo completed the scoring to render Axel Witsel’s 85th-minuite goal for nine-man Dortmund a greater irrelevance.
“The penalty shows how ridiculous football has become. This handball rule, it is the biggest scandal in football that nobody knows anything about it. It’s a disgrace.”
The former Nice boss picked up the theme at his post-match news conference.
“It’s a joke,” he said. “Not just today’s penalty, but in general. Should the players cut off their arms and run without them?”
The Schalke boss looked perplexed on the sideline when the penalty was awarded and offered sympathy to his opposite number.
I think it’s very disgusting that a penalty like this has been given,” said Stevens.
“I told Lucien Favre that I am not happy with it as well. But my team received these kind of decisions against us in the weeks before.”
Favre chose not to complain in a similar manner about the red cards awarded to his captain Reus and Wolf, but again suggested he did not agree with referee Felix Zwayer’s interpretations.
“We have to avoid these situations. But we need to admit that the referee didn’t have his best day,” he said.
Schalke midfielder Omar Mascarell stated Dortmund lost their composure and felt Reus and Wolf could have no complaints.
“When the result is not what you want, sometimes you get nervous and lose yourself,” he said.
“For me it was two red cards.”
Victory for Bayern Munich over second-bottom Nurnberg on Sunday will increase the champions’ lead over Dortmund to four points with three matches to play and Favre felt it was time to concede the title.
“Yes, of course, the title race is done,” he added. “It’s hard to stomach but it is what it is.”
Additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell
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Would be great for the league of Ireland if they progresed
FH looked an average loi team who got a goal against the run of play last week. We were the better team but they might have been keeping it tight.. but if they play like they did last wed and we play like we can then we will advance.. i firmly believe we will score tonight. Garts is a massive loss in the centre of defence but barrett is a good replacement… we are playing FH for €1.2m and a guaranteed 4 more games minimum in Europe.
Who’s we ?!
“We”… Are Ireland’s number one. The Black & White army.
Not doubting you. They really are Ireland’s number 1. Just asked for the craic because my uncle always mocks me when I use ‘we’ when talking about cork city lol
Massive game for Fundalk given the money at stake , great for the town and club . Really well run club these days with a super manager leading the team. Cmon da town !!
Get the name right pal. They’re fun to watch but I wouldn’t go that far
Says the plastic Irish supporter. Take down that Irish cover photo please if your not willing to support your own Irish league.
I’m supporting them no doubt.
Disappointed there isn’t a LIVE ticker thread for this game. It’s only the champions of Ireland playing in the world’s most lucrative competition. RTE not broadcasting it is a disgrace. And they claim to be supporters of domestic football. (Yes I know it’s on Eir Sport).
Dundalk playing some nice football here, they’ve been the better team so far, unlucky to be behind. Horgan & McMillan are doing very well. They’re just lacking a bit of composure in the final third.
Still nothing up about the match tonight disgraceful from the 42
And still nothing. Surely a live ticker wasn’t beyond them. They are the champions of Ireland and our only representatives in champions league. Fair dues to Eir for covering it, super game and even better performance from Dundalk.