An unusual change of heart.
Bayern Munich supporters are feeling pretty hard done by following the performance of referee Viktor Kassai in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
Extra-time was forced thanks to a Sergio Ramos own goal with 10 minutes of regulation time remaining but then the match official firmly left his stamp on the game.
Bayern midfielder Arturo Vidal was sent off for a second bookable offence, which came in the form of a sliding tackle on Marco Asensio that was a touch harsh on the Chilean.
https://twitter.com/FC_Sanchez7/status/854437525980676101
While Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to be marginally offside for his second goal of the game, which was the first of three scored by Madrid in extra-time, it’s the way that the referee dealt with Casemiro that’s left a particularly sour taste in Bayern supporters’ mouths.
Casemiro was booked before half-time by the official and, after a late challenge on Arjen Robben, he should have been given his marching orders.
That’s not just our opinion because, apparently, that’s what the referee thought too as his first instinct was to reach for his pocket, as you can see in the below clip.
Atención a la mano de Kassai cuando Casemiro hace la falta a Robben que suponía la 2da amarilla para el madridista. pic.twitter.com/mWZMNkCGJ4
— Jorge Fernandez Ⓜ️ (@XurxoFdez) April 18, 2017
But the moment he realised that it was Casemiro who had committed the foul, a certain bookable offence, the ref immediately withdrew his hand and allowed the midfielder to play on.
We’re not sure of the German term for “bottled it” but we’re sure there was an awful lot of that being uttered after the final whistle as Bayern went crashing out via an aggregate scoreline of 6-3.
“When Madrid got scared, the referee began his show,” Vidal said in the wake of the result, with quotes appearing in the Guardian. “This robbery can’t happen in the Champions League. We felt it a lot and you start to wonder a bit.
“We wanted to go through and there’s a lot of anger in that a match of such intensity is decided by the referee. He made a lot of mistakes and knocked us out of the Champions League.
“When [referees] embarrass you like that, it’s really hard to take. It makes you very angry.”
Casemiro should be off. Ref has bottled that. #UCL #RmaBay
— JJSinghSTARR (@JJSinghSTARR) April 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/ConorGates1/status/854430684877901828
The referee bottled Casemiro's red card and then sent Vidal off. Officials decide games instead of officiating.
— Dr. Mohammed Amali 🇳🇬 (@MoAmali) April 18, 2017
Kassai shows 2nd yellow to Vidal, whereas, he bottled a 2nd yellow for Casemiro minutes earlier.
— Nico (@BlueSpot_Nic) April 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/SiercePloan/status/854431113032462337
Ref bottled sending Casemiro off after about a dozen fouls, a couple easily second bookable offences, then ruins it with that decision!!
— Reevsie (@Reevsie247) April 18, 2017
This ref has bottled it big time with Casemiro
— James (@James_Hall92) April 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/RabbaniAmeen/status/854436787623690241
https://twitter.com/SariZemerly/status/854441671613980673
