Two Bundesliga referees explain two controversial handball penalties | OneFootball

Saturday produced a pair of new records in the Bundesliga; both involving takes from the penalty spot. On the scoring side, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane became the first Bundesliga professional to convert his first 17 penalties in the league. From the defending point-of-view, SC Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu made his own bit of history as the first keeper to stop five consecutive league penalties.

Penalties in both Bayern’s 1-4 away win at Hoffenheim and Freiburg’s 0-3 away win over Bremen nevertheless attracted controversy. Match officials refereeing both fixtures have publicly defended their decisions, yet may still find themselves censured. At best, Robert Hartmann (TSG-FCB) and Timo Gerach (SVW-SCF) will receive poor marks in the German press. At worst, the DFB may contradict them in the a coming report.

The German FA has issued such scathing reports on improperly executed handball calls in the past, with the last two coming in the autumns of 2022 and 2024. Germans – as evidenced by the fact that the Allianz Arena crowd loudly cheered Bayern’s Michael Olise for pushing Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella to ground in Wednesday night’s Champions League fixture – remain uniquely sensitive about this issue.

Hoffenheim-Bayern

There were actually two penalties awarded in the Bayern match. Kane completed his latest Bundesliga hat trick after Olise drew contact from Hoffenheim defender Bernardo in the box in the 75th-minute Referee Hartmann awarded the spot kick after a VAR review confirmed that the foul took place in the box. Prior to that, Hartmann himself revealed the scene that enabled Kane to score the crucial 0-2 from the spot in the 48th-minute.

Many were surprised by Hartmann’s decision after replays confirmed that the ball inadvertently bounced off Hoffenheim defender Albian Hajdari’s thigh and onto his outstretched elbow after a shot from Bayern’s Sacha Boey. Hajdari could do nothing to prevent the ball from hopping up onto his arm. Most Bundesliga journalists will surely agree that the penalty should not have been given in accordance with the rulebook.

In an interview with Sky Germany afterwards, Hartmann explained that he had received confirmation from Germany’s famed “Kölner Keller” [the basement VAR review center in Germany’s cathedral city] that a penalty should have been awarded. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Hartmann and the Köln staff were correct. Köln has gotten it wrong in the past.

“In accordance with the rulebook, I cannot get around the decision,” Hartmann told Sky. “Even if it’s bitter for the defender. He [Hajdari] bent his arm at a 90 degree angle under pressure. He moved his arm before the ball jumped up. That’s an attempt to catch the ball. It was immediately clear to me and I received confirmation from Köln.

“It’s not that complicated,” Hartmann continued. “I believe the current rules are fairly clear. The rest has to do with where the referee is positioned and how he perceives it. This time I believe I was lucky to have made the correct decision.“

In any event, Kane now has his record. Kane’s 17th converted penalty helps him pass two players, Hans-Joachim Abel and Max Kruse, who both converted their first 16 Bundesliga penalties successfully. Abel strung his series together in the early 1980s.

Kruse famously missed out on his chance to become the all-time record holder by fluffing a spot kick against Köln on November 22nd, 2020. Kruse was initially denied by Köln keeper Timo Horn, but did still score by turning home the rebound.

Kane was a bit lucky to get his miss in during Bayern’s opening round Pokal fixture against SV Wehen Wiesbaden before the Bundesliga got started proper. Apart from that miss, Kane has never failed to convert for Bayern in any competition.

Bremen-Freiburg

Vincenzo Grifo earned the opportunity to continue to put last season’s misery from the spot behind him under similar circumstances. A 31st-minute penalty awarded by match official Gerach. This call may prove even more controversial. Bremen’s Cameron Puertas saw the ball hop off his foot and onto his upper arm following a throw-in.

It appeared as if Freiburg marker Maximilian Eggestein pushed Puertas into the path of the ball. Gerach wrote on the decision in his match logbook – a mandatory assignment for all German referees – after the game. Kicker obtained access to the logbook, in which Gerach explained his reasoning.

“Certainly a decision worth discussing,” Gerach wrote. “I’m in a very good position and have a great view of the scene. I see that the Bremen player wants to control the ball with his foot, and then it bounces up a little towards his chest, but he can’t reach it with his chest.

“Every footballer knows that feeling,” Gerach continued. “One wants to control the ball, so one makes a quick movement with your right arm towards the ball. I noticed and that’s why I decided to award a penalty.

“For me, however, there was no pushing or pulling and certainly no foul,” Gerach concluded with reference to a potential foul by Eggestein. “Accordingly, it was a punishable handball from my perspective.“

GGFN | Peter Weis