2024-09-11 02:37:50
The German national team drew with the Netherlands. Immediately after the final whistle, tempers flared. The reason: the referee.
Frustration among the German national team after the 2:2 draw against the Netherlands in the Nations League. The DFB team was not at all satisfied with the performance of referee Davide Massa after the match. From the German perspective, the Italian was wrong in several scenes. This was also the case at the final whistle.
While the German team tried to find a way forward in the last minute of stoppage time, Massa blew the whistle to end the game in the middle of the DFB team’s advance. The DFB stars, including captain Joshua Kimmich, then stormed towards the referee, unable to believe that he had stopped the attack and ended the game. Nico Schlotterbeck and Chris Führich spread their arms in irritation. Julian Nagelsmann was furious on the sidelines, unable to believe it. Several DFB players gesticulated wildly in front of Massa, apparently asking him how the whistle had come just outside the Dutch penalty area. But the decision could not be overturned: the game was over.
“I don’t think he whistled well on either side, so it is what it is,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann, assessing Massa’s performance after the match on the broadcaster RTL. However, the 37-year-old had clearly emphasised shortly beforehand that the referee had “blown away a great opportunity” for his team in this situation.
Nagelsmann was even more annoyed about a scene from the 55th minute. Leipzig star Xavi had taken down Jamal Musiala in the penalty area with a sliding tackle. A tackle that could have, if not should have, resulted in a penalty.
Nagelsmann saw it that way too. “I also think that it was a clear penalty on Jamal,” said the coach. When he looked at the scene again, he repeated his assessment: “He just came too late and hit Jamal on the foot. I don’t think there can be a different opinion on that. Unfortunately, that is a foul.”
Jamal Musiala was also asked about the incident on RTL after the match. “I don’t want to talk too much about the referee. I don’t know. I have to look at the scene,” said the Bayern star. “But it felt like there were a few situations where things didn’t go our way,” he said, assessing Massa’s performance quite clearly.
Musiala continued: “I’m not going to talk too much into the camera now: I think everyone saw that many decisions didn’t go our way.” However, he did not want to use that as an excuse for the draw. “But that happens in football. We’re not going to moan about it now,” he explained.