"Brutal intensity": Should Dortmund star Schlotterbeck have seen red? | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund loses the Bundesliga classic against FC Bayern 2-3 – but afterwards, a scene involving Nico Schlotterbeck becomes the main talking point. Should the BVB defender have seen a red card for his harsh tackle on Josip Stanisic?

After Borussia Dortmund's 2-3 defeat in the Bundesliga classic against FC Bayern Munich, one player in particular came into focus: Nico Schlotterbeck. The central defender was involved in several game-deciding scenes – and according to some involved, he could have been sent off.

The most contentious scene occurred early in the match. In the 18th minute, Schlotterbeck slid into Bayern defender Josip Stanisic, hitting his opponent's ankle with an open sole. Stanisic initially stayed down, holding his face in pain, while referee Sven Jablonski reviewed the scene after consulting with the video assistant. In the end, however, the referee only issued a yellow card.

For Stanisic himself, this decision was too lenient. “I experienced in the scene that it’s more than just yellow for me,” said the Bayern player after the match. From his perspective, player protection is crucial: “And if I play the ball at shin height with an open sole and then continue to slide, it’s clearly red for me.”

After a harsh foul: BVB star Schlotterbeck shows self-criticism

Sport director Lars Ricken also viewed the scene critically in hindsight. “There is already a brutal intensity here,” he explained on ZDF-Sportstudio and added: “We were a bit lucky that it was only a yellow card.”

Photo: IMAGO

Schlotterbeck himself also showed understanding for this assessment and admitted he was lucky. “I hit him very unfortunately on the shin. You could probably give a red there,” the Dortmund defender said later.

Despite the delicate scene, the 26-year-old remained on the pitch – and soon after was in the spotlight again. Following a cross from Daniel Svensson, he even headed BVB into the lead. During the subsequent celebration, the central defender jumped over the barrier to the fans, which was also discussed. However, a second yellow card was not issued.

The match remained turbulent afterwards – and Schlotterbeck was involved again. In the second half, he brought down Stanisic once more in the Dortmund penalty area. Referee Jablonski awarded a penalty for Bayern, which Harry Kane converted confidently. Another warning for the BVB defender was not given.

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