Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt said the linesman apologised to him for raising the flag for offside before he scored what would have been a late equaliser in the Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid today.
De Ligt scored deep into stoppage time for what would have been a 2-2 goal that likely would have sent the match into extra time at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. But the goal didn’t count because the referee blew the whistle for the offside without letting the play be completed.
“The linesman said to me, ‘I’m sorry, I made a mistake,’” De Ligt said after the 2-1 loss in which Madrid’s stoppage-time winner by Joselu came after a VAR intervention that overturned an initial offside call. In that occasion, though, the other linesman allowed the play to continue.
“The rule says that if it’s not clear offside ... you have to keep playing.” De Ligt said. “And if you go in the last minute and you whistle like this, I think this is a big mistake. If it’s offside or not, I don’t know, VAR can check it, but if you don’t check it, how can you see it? This is a shame.”
The VAR also came into play in the 71st to disallow a Madrid goal because of a foul by defender Nacho Fernández on Joshua Kimmich. Joselu had equalized in the 88th after a blunder by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.