Gräfe explains: Why Schlotterbeck saw red in Bergamo | OneFootball

Two red cards, four goals conceded, and elimination from the Champions League. BVB experienced a "disastrous" evening not only from a sporting perspective, as the press also noted about the 1:4 at Atalanta Bergamo. Nico Schlotterbeck, who received a red card off the field, was unaware of any wrongdoing. Former referee Manuel Gräfe explains why it happened.

Karim Adeyemi scored the crucial goal to make it 1:3 after a nearly lethargic first half by the entire BVB team and another goal conceded in the second half. This set the stage for an extension in Bergamo, as Atalanta also seemed unwilling to take much risk in the final minutes. Then Gregor Kobel made a severe blunder—with fatal consequences for Ramy Bensebaini and Borussia Dortmund.

Bensebaini had cleared the ball but hit an opponent in the face with his foot. Referee Sanchez reviewed the scene in the review area, which is known to be near the substitute benches. Nico Schlotterbeck then made two mistakes that collectively led to a red card for him, even though he was not a participant in the game.

What those were is explained by long-time Bundesliga referee Manuel Gräfe in this article.

Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images

Gräfe: Review Area Off-Limits for Players

Just for leaving his own coaching zone, Nico Schlotterbeck should have already received a mandatory yellow card, explains Manuel Gräfe according to UEFA's existing regulations. Anyone who then enters the review area, the field, or the opponent's coaching zone "in a confrontational manner" must be "compulsorily" dismissed. That was evidently the case. Gräfe reasons that Schlotterbeck, unaware of this rule, did not understand why he received the red card, as similar behavior on the field has no consequences. There, even a confrontational exchange between two opponents is not sanctioned.

However, in the review area and its immediate surroundings, this is very much the case. This is why the red card for Nico Schlotterbeck is justified. The review area is an explicitly protected area only for the referee, allowing them to make their decision uninfluenced. A dismissal there can result merely from tapping the referee on the shoulder or lightly touching them in another way.

Thus, Nico Schlotterbeck has now learned this rule, albeit in an unpleasant way for him.

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