Michael Olise and Joshua Kimmich not flagged by referee after Atalanta 1-6 Bayern bookings | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, the referee’s report from Atalanta 1-6 Bayern did not note any abnormal behaviour by Michael Olise or Joshua Kimmich after bookings that rule them out of next Wednesday’s Champions League return leg.

Both were one caution from suspension and were booked in Tuesday’s last-16 first leg. Olise delayed a corner despite the referee’s reminders with Bayern 6-0 up, and was cautioned. Kimmich acted similarly before taking a late free-kick.

The pair are suspected of doing so to miss a low-stakes second leg at the Allianz Arena and approach the quarter-finals free of suspension risk. With nothing flagged in the report, potential UEFA sanctions are complicated because deliberate intent is unproven. UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, article 15C, allow two-match bans or defined suspensions for clearly intentional cards.

There is precedent. In 2019, after Real Madrid’s last-16 first leg with Ajax, Sergio Ramos received a two-match ban having admitted he took an intentional booking. On Tuesday, neither Olise nor Kimmich accepted that they had sought a caution.

Kimmich went further, denying any plan to be booked and saying he hesitated while seeking a safe pass under pressure before the caution. It remains to be seen whether UEFA’s disciplinary body will still review the cases.

Source: L'Équipe