Disputed penalty: Dortmund breaks on Var decision against Leverkusen!

On January 11, 2025, the Bundesliga game between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen came to a controversial referee decision that significantly influenced the game. In the 79th minute, referee Tobias Stieler whistled a penalty for Dortmund after Leverkusen's defender Edmond Tapsoba scored the Dortmund player Julien Duranville with his outstretched arm on the face. Stieler initially let the situation continue, but was aware of the scene by means of a note from the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) and decided to punish the fouling arm.

The subsequent penalty was transformed by Serhou Guirassy, which shortened the score to 2: 3 for Dortmund. Despite this hit, Dortmund ultimately lost the game 2: 3. TV expert Michael Ballack criticized the decision and expressed that the referees were increasingly afraid because they could rely on the VAR. Ballack emphasized that the VAR should only be used for clear wrong decisions, which in this case did not apply in this case.

criticism of the referee decision

The discussion about the penalty was taken up by several players in the game. The former DFB referee Manuel Gräfe expressed that the penalty decision did not fit the spacious line of Stieler and whose original rating was not clear and obviously wrong. Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen also critically commented on the decision and explained that it was "never a penalty". Xhaka emphasized that the hand movement of Tapsoba should be considered normal and that Dortmund had no significant chances up to the penalty.

The controversy about this referee decision show how strongly the use of the VAR is discussed in German football. Sport1.de again and again about the decision-making of the referees, especially in connection with the influence of var.

Overall, this incident raises questions about the consistency of referee decisions in the Bundesliga and how the VAR can be used even better in the future.