Freiburg (dpa) – After the end of the round of 16 of the Europa League, coach Christian Streich from SC Freiburg criticized the fact that the time game of the Juventus players was not punished. “A team that is fouled has a disadvantage,” he said on Thursday evening after the 0: 2 (0: 1) in the second leg against the Italian soccer champions. “In the event of a foul, nobody should be allowed to touch the ball. Whoever does it gets a yellow card. Everything is sanctioned, but not – internationally and in the Bundesliga too. That’s a complete mystery to me.”
Streich wanted the rules to be adjusted. “Why isn’t that done like in handball? If a player from the other team picks up the ball after a foul, he should get a yellow card. That goes for three weeks, after that nobody does it anymore,” said Streich. “And who benefits from that? Football, because the game can continue and that creates fairness.”
Captain Christian Günter also disagreed with referee Serdar Gözübüyük’s performance. The Dutchman awarded a penalty in the first half after consulting the video referee because Manuel Gulde had unluckily hit the ball on his forearm. “Football has to ask itself a fundamental question,” said the international. “If you get shot from two meters, I don’t know how that can be a deliberate handball.”
Günter also alluded to the decisions in the Champions League in his criticism. Among other things, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig had to accept controversial decisions. “It’s okay for me if a handball is handball when the shot is fired from 10 yards. But that’s insane. The rule is complete bullshit. Should I cut my hands off? It doesn’t work. That’s what people decide, who have never been on the pitch themselves.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230317-99-987096/2
