Bundesliga referees and VAR under scrutiny as frustration over mistakes grows

BERLIN — Germany’s referees are under scrutiny after a plethora of questionable decisions and incorrect calls compounded by anger over the video assistant referees’ failure to correct them.

It's leading to widespread frustration among players and coaches, while fans' patience is tested by lengthy VAR checks that don't always bring clarity, or contentious calls that aren't checked at all.

The latest example came in the German Cup on Wednesday when Leipzig was aggrieved not to be awarded at least a free kick after Bayern Munich defender Josip Stanišić clearly fouled Antonio Nusa on the edge of the penalty area early in Bayern’s 2-0 win.

“It’s absolutely crazy,” Leipzig coach Ole Werner said. “If four people can’t see that as a foul then it’s not quarterfinal level, I’m sorry.”

Bayern also had a questionable call go its way in the Bundesliga against Hoffenheim last weekend, when defender Kevin Akpoguma was sent off early. There was no VAR intervention.

The previous weekend, there were contentious decisions in Bundesliga games between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen, Leipzig and Mainz, Hoffenheim and Union Berlin, and Augsburg’s match against St. Pauli.

Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbeçaj called for VAR to be scrapped altogether after he was incorrectly penalized in the subsequent game against Mainz. A minutes-long delay for VAR failed to correct referee Patrick Ittrich’s erroneous call. Ittrich acknowledged his mistake after the match but by then it was too late.

“The biggest problem is there’s no common denominator,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovač said. “Whoever is sitting in the studio or whoever is refereeing has a different perception and that makes it difficult. Regardless of who’s sitting there the decisions should be consistent.”

Key matchups

Bayern visits relegation-threatened Werder Bremen on Saturday. The league leader has recovered from an uncharacteristic two-game run without a win and shouldn’t face many problems against a team that failed to get a bounce in new coach Daniel Thione ’s debut last weekend. Bremen is 11 games without a win.

Borussia Dortmund hosts Mainz on Friday when it will aim to maintain some pressure on Bayern by provisionally cutting the gap to three points with its sixth consecutive win. But Mainz has won its last three.

The battle for Champions League qualification remains intense with six points between third-placed Hoffenheim and sixth-placed Leverkusen. Only the top four qualify for Europe’s most lucrative competition. Hoffenheim hosts Freiburg on Saturday, when Leverkusen hosts St. Pauli and fifth-placed Stuttgart hosts Cologne. Leipzig, which is ahead of Stuttgart on goal difference, welcomes Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Players to watch

Colombia star Luis Díaz is in arguably the form of his life with five goals in his last three games for Bayern, including Wednesday’s cup win over Leipzig and a hat trick against Hoffenheim last weekend.

Christoph Baumgartner scored two in Leipzig’s 2-1 win over Cologne and the Austria midfielder is instrumental to the team’s Champions League push.

Nadiem Amiri has led Mainz’s revival under new coach Urs Fisher. Amiri scored two penalties last weekend to lift Mainz up to 14th. The team has lost only once in eight league games under Fischer. There were nine defeats in 13 games before that.

Off the field

South Korea forward Lee Jae-sung has extended his contract at Mainz. The 33-year-old Lee has 28 goals in 159 games for Mainz since joining in a free transfer from Holstein Kiel in 2021. Mainz did not divulge the length of his new deal. His contract had been due to expire at the end of the season.