"Too decisive": BVB legend Hummels calls for VAR changes | OneFootball

After several controversial penalty and VAR decisions, Mats Hummels has spoken out once again. The BVB legend is calling for a much stricter approach to game-deciding whistles.

Mats Hummels has once again joined the VAR debate, calling for a fundamental rethink regarding penalty and sending-off decisions in the Bundesliga. The former Borussia Dortmund defensive leader advocates for a much higher threshold for intervention—in favor of the players and the fairness of the game.

The trigger was a controversial penalty in the match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and FC Augsburg. After a duel in the penalty area, referee Patrick Ittrich awarded a penalty—and even after a lengthy VAR review, the decision stood. However, the TV footage showed that a clear contact was hardly evident beyond doubt.

Hummels took the incident as an opportunity to make his views public. “Sorry for interfering so much on this topic. But maybe the approach to penalties like the one yesterday against Augsburg should be different,” he wrote on X. The central point of his proposal: No longer should the standard for a correction be a “clear and obvious error,” but rather absolute certainty when it comes to particularly consequential decisions. He stated verbatim: “To give a red card or a penalty, you must always be 100 percent sure.”

VAR Debate: BVB Legend Hummels Demands a New Approach

The 2014 World Cup winner argues that even the slightest doubt should be a disqualifying factor. “As soon as there is doubt,” there should be “neither sendings-off nor penalties.” His reasoning: “These situations are simply too decisive for the game.”

The VAR debate gained additional momentum over the weekend due to another incident with significant consequences. In the match between FC Bayern Munich and TSG Hoffenheim (5:1), referee Tobias Stieler awarded an early penalty and a red card—a whistle that had a major impact on the course of the game and left the visitors a man down. With the convincing home victory, Munich extended their lead over Borussia Dortmund to six points again.

Hummels’ initiative is likely to further fuel the debate. His core concern is clear: less room for interpretation, more clarity—especially when a whistle has a massive impact on the course of the game.

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