"External factors" against HSV: Polzin joins in with referee criticism! | OneFootball

The refereeing performance of Daniel Schlager is clearly the main topic after HSV’s defeat in Cologne. Merlin Polzin also voiced criticism.

Frustration runs deep at Hamburger SV after the ultimately clear 1-4 defeat at 1. FC Köln. Two HSV goals were disallowed after VAR interventions, and two players were also shown red and yellow cards. Even within the team and coaching staff, there was agreement: “External factors,” as coach Merlin Polzin later described them at the press conference, had decisively influenced the course of the game.

“We weren’t alert enough or good enough in the first half,” Miro Muheim admitted self-critically, “but what happened after that was hard to accept.” The left-back was referring to the many controversial decisions: two dismissals and disallowed goals that robbed HSV of their belief in a comeback.

Midfield enforcer Nicolai Remberg, who had to play as the right center-back in the back three for the first time in Cologne, found similarly clear words: “Fabio Vieira says he only pointed out the goalkeeper’s time-wasting to the referee. That’s not enough for a yellow card.” This warning ultimately led to Vieira’s sending off and thus to the final turning point. “That pulled the plug for us,” Remberg admitted as well.

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Sporting director Stefan Kuntz wanted to look ahead despite all the emotions, but also voiced criticism. “I don’t quite understand why VAR intervened on our first goal. In my opinion, the goal should have stood,” the 63-year-old made clear.

Even Cologne’s coach Lukas Kwasniok agreed with his predecessor Polzin and admitted that “the external factors were on our side today.” An honest assessment and at the same time a bitter confirmation for HSV, who, after their third consecutive Bundesliga defeat, are now only two points ahead of the relegation spot. Especially bitter: Borussia Dortmund, another top opponent, awaits next weekend (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.)!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.