When Borussia Dortmund hosts PSG in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, the focus will once again be on Anthony Taylor. The French’s memories of the Englishman are still very fresh.
Off to the shower: Anthony Taylor pulled out the red card against Emre Can. imago images
When Borussia Dortmund’s goal on Wednesday evening (9 p.m., LIVE! on kicker) is to create the best possible starting position for the second leg in Paris in a week’s time, Anthony Taylor will be the main referee in front of the yellow wall.
This brings back memories: So far, the Englishman has led four BVB games on the European stage – the last of which meant the round of 16 exit in the 2019/20 season. Opponent in March 2020? PSG.
The 45-year-old was “a safe and calm game leader with a long leash for long stretches” at the Parc des Princes (kicker grade 3) – which his red card for Emre Can in the 89th minute didn’t fit with.
With the score at 0-2 – BVB had won the first leg 2-1 (Erling Haaland’s brace) – emotions were running high: Neymar, who had previously been neck and neck with Can, went down theatrically after being pushed and thus provoked the Dortmund player was sent off.
Favre finds it “almost ridiculous”
“That’s too hard, almost ridiculous,” commented BVB coach Lucien Favre on the red card Sky – and added: “Neymar exaggerated.” Michael Zorc took the same line. “We know that Neymar is a good actor,” he said. “He showed that today.”
PSG finally made it to the final under coach Thomas Tuchel, where Bayern showed the staying power in Lisbon (1-0). This season the French are making a new attempt to finally raise the longed-for first pot.
The Parisian memories of Taylor are now much fresher than those of BVB: Unusually, the Premier League referee already officiated the first leg of the round of 16 against Barcelona (2:3) three weeks ago and picked up six yellow cards.
It was Taylor’s seventh Champions League game with PSG – and the first that Paris lost. The French series champion had won five of the previous six, and one ended in a draw.
Taylor took charge of his first BVB game in 2015, a 1-1 draw at PAOK in the Europa League. This was followed by a 4-0 win against Atletico and two 0-2 defeats against Inter and PSG.