Referee Sascha Stegemann discusses with Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham throughout the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund in Bochum, Germany on April 28, 2023.| Photo Credit: AP

A refereeing error has turn out to be the main focus of consideration within the Bundesliga after it helped Bayern Munich regain the lead from Borussia Dortmund with 4 rounds of the league remaining.

The video assistant referee did not intervene to award a penalty in Dortmund's recreation on April 28 because the workforce was held to a 1-1 draw with Bochum on Friday evening, a end result that would have a significant affect on the title race.

The German soccer federation acknowledged on Saturday that referee Sascha Stegemann ought to have given the penalty “without the need for support from the video assistant”. However, it didn't say why there was no assist from the video assistant.

Stegemann failed to identify the foul within the space within the sixty fifth minute when Bochum’s Danilo Soares plowed into Karim Adeyemi from behind and introduced the Dortmund ahead down with out touching the ball. Soares was already booked and will have been despatched off with a second yellow card.

“We would probably go in front and you’re playing against 10 men, it’s a whole other game,” Dortmund coach Edin Terzic stated.

Dortmund’s head coach Edin Terzic talks to referee Sascha Stegemann after the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund in Bochum, Germany on April 28, 2023.| Photo Credit:AP

But Stegemann allowed play to proceed and obtained no indication from video assistant Robert Hartmann that he ought to do in any other case. The video assistant is there to tell a referee of any clear mistake, and video replays can then be used to recheck the incident. But Hartmann apparently felt the doable foul on Adeyemi wasn’t a transparent mistake.

The federation disagreed.

“It’s a foul and therefore a penalty, as the TV pictures also show. The expectation has to remain that such events are decided correctly by the referee on the field,” the federation stated.

‘Several mistakes’ have been made: Stegemann

The choice was one in every of three that Dortmund complained about because it slipped to a draw that allowed Bayern to retake the lead on Sunday.

Stegemann, who acknowledged “several mistakes” among the many match officers and stated he may perceive Dortmund's anger, instructed broadcaster Sport1 that threats have been made in opposition to him and his household. It led him to file a legal grievance and search momentary safety measures.

The referee stated he is considering “whether a break makes sense or whether it’s better to continue straightaway”.

Dortmund chief government Hans-Joachim Watzke condemned these threats on Sunday.

“Dear soccer fans, of course, we are all still very disappointed with how Friday night went," Watzke said in a statement published on the club website. "We discussed our point of view with the referee immediately after the game, and he assured us then how sorry he was. With that, the matter is closed for us.”

There was no touch upon the matter from Bayern, which holds a one-point lead because it bids to win a record-extending eleventh consecutive league title.

Dortmund should now hope for a favour from Werder Bremen, Schalke, Leipzig or Cologne whether it is to finish the Bavarian powerhouse’s 10-year reign – whereas additionally profitable its personal remaining video games in opposition to in-form Wolfsburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Augsburg and Mainz.

“We won’t let any opponent, any referee or any illness stop us,” Dortmund teen Youssoufa Moukoko stated. “We believe in it, we’re convinced of it.”