DFB sports court
After mistake in substitution: Bayern’s victory against Freiburg remains
Referee Christian Dingert recorded FC Bayern’s change mistake in the game report
© Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
The DFB sports court has decided: FC Bayern Munich’s victory at SC Freiburg remains despite the mistake made by the leaders of the table. The referees bear the main blame for the mistake.
Bayern Munich’s mistake in the game against SC Freiburg last Saturday will have no consequences. Munich’s 4-1 victory remains and they retain their three points. The German Football Association (DFB) announced this decision by its sports court on Friday. On Monday evening, the people of Freiburg lodged a protest against the game rating, as the club was formally in an active role in having the processes legally checked.
According to the sports court, the Munich team was not to blame for “the culpable use of a player who was not eligible to play”. There is therefore no reason for denial of victory. Rather, a serious misconduct by referee Christian Dingert and his team is the cause of the mistake.
DFB sports court: Game revaluation is not proportionate
Bayern had twelve players on the field for a few seconds in last Saturday’s game before the referee stopped the match when the score was 1-3 from Freiburg’s point of view. Previously, when Kingsley Coman was planned to be replaced, the wrong jersey number had been displayed by Munich’s team manager. The Frenchman probably didn’t feel addressed and initially didn’t leave the field in a double substitution. In this phase, however, there were no game-changing scenes.
The involvement of Bayern in the exchange chaos “is not sufficient from the point of view of proportionality to justify the serious legal consequences of a game revaluation,” said Stephan Oberholz, the chairman of the sports court.
Referee team made mistakes
The referee team “failed to fulfill their duties in several ways,” Oberholz added. The present case is also not comparable with the mistake made by VfL Wolfsburg, who illegally brought a sixth substitute into the game in the DFB Cup at Preussen Münster. VfL was then stripped of victory.
In the table, Bayern are now nine points ahead of pursuers Borussia Dortmund. Freiburg is in fifth place, qualifying for participation in the Europa League – three points behind RB Leipzig in fourth place in the Champions League and one point ahead of sixth-placed TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The people of Breisgau can appeal the verdict within one working day.
