🤬 Despite Bundesliga referee, DNA fuming after the final whistle | OneFootball

DNA Athletics, last season’s regular-season champions, are increasingly finding themselves in trouble after a strong start to the current campaign. They have lost three of their last four games—a rare slump for the usually successful team. The match against the Wontorriors, officiated by Bundesliga referee Patrick Itrich, promised plenty of excitement even before kickoff.

📸 Max Galys

Right from the beginning, the game developed into an extremely tight contest with many changes in direction. Both teams met as equals, which was evident throughout the entire regular playing time. In a tense final phase, the equalizer finally came from Erciyes Palo, who scored in the last minute to make it 4-4.

This scene still sparked debate: Tugay Akbakla hadn’t fully secured the ball in the build-up, Palo poked at it, but there was no foul. DNA saw it differently and loudly demanded a whistle, which Itrich did not give.

In overtime, the game remained balanced and goalless for a long time, until another controversial situation significantly influenced the outcome. At the Wontorriors’ penalty area, Maximilian Grünberg was checked into the boards. Again, technically there was no foul, but Grünberg stayed down—and from the situation, a 2-on-1 counterattack developed, which Bilal Mirzayi finished after a cross from Johann von Knebel.

📸 Max Galys

After the final whistle, DNA showed clear frustration. Itrich reported that he had to listen to quite a bit, and team head Niklas Sommer immediately disappeared into the locker room area. The mood in the team is tense: DNA has now lost four of their last five games and could drop to eighth place by the end of today’s matchday. The negative spiral is palpable—and the pressure is mounting.

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