Doom and Gloom at the Kiez: FC St. Pauli's Furious Post-Game Meltdown over Ref, Exner
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St. Pauli's discontent with the referee's decision hasn't turned into a neighborhood celebration yet. - Contestant status of St. Paul remains unsettled
The aftermath of FC St. Pauli's nail-biting 0-1 defeat to VfB Stuttgart was nothing short of chaotic, with coach Alexander Blessin biting his tongue to avoid a verbal tirade against referee Florian Exner. "We're not blaming the ref, but it does affect us," grumbled the 51-year-old.
What made Blessin and his players seethe wasn't just the controversial yellow-red cards - defender Siebe Van der Heyden in the 57th minute and goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj in stoppage time. The Hamburg-based team claimed that Exner consistently favored Stuttgart in questionable situations.
"Every time they get a free kick and we don't. That's demoralizing," Blessin ranted. With relegation on the line, every point matters. "There were a countless number of small instances that weren't called in our favor. It's mindboggling," added Noah Weißhaupt, who was equally frustrated.
The game was far from enjoyable because of the continuous tension that plagued it, said defender Hauke Wahl. "It wasn't someone out there maintaining control of the match, but rather someone stoking the flames."
All the signs pointed towards an epic St. Pauli celebration: a draw would have guaranteed their early Bundesliga stay for another season, following their promotion last year. However, a disenchanted mob of St. Pauli fans couldn't help but view Exner as the party crasher, booing him off the field.
Despite their agitation, it's plain to see that Stuttgart deserved the win. St. Pauli was resilient and kept a 0-0 scoreline for almost 30 minutes, playing a man down. In the 88th minute, Nick Woltemade scored for Stuttgart, after Van der Heyden had squandered a penalty earlier in the game. "This wasn't our finest performance," admitted Blessin.
Exner's decisions weren't straight up wrong, including theYellow-Red cards for Van der Heyden (57th) and Vasilj (90+6). The uproar centered around the premature second yellow for Vasilj, who had been given a yellow card earlier for arguing against Stuttgart's time-wasting tactic. "That's a bit steep," Blessin said, pointing out the excessive nature of the card.
St. Pauli's position remains secure after the defeat, with 1. FC Heidenheim, currently in 16th place in the relegation playoff, trailing by 5 points with only 2 games remaining, and a far worse goal difference of 16 goals. "Not much has changed," Blessin said. The sting is that three key players, Van der Heyden, Vasilj, and Elias Saad, will miss the game in Frankfurt due to injuries. "I can't summon up any tears," Blessin said, "We have the talent to make up for it."
Replacing Vasilj, who had an outstanding showing in the game against VfB Stuttgart, will be the biggest challenge. The Bosnian did more than just save a penalty - he's simply top-notch goalkeeping material, according to his coach. "That hurts," Blessin said, "because he's just that good." He also praised backup goalkeeper Ben Voll, stating, "We have a very solid second goalkeeper in Ben, who's also extremely skilled. I'm confident about that position."
- Alexander Blessin
- FC St. Pauli
- Frustration
- Hamburg
- VfB Stuttgart
- Final whistle
- Referee
- Handball Rules
- Accumulated Yellow Cards
- Appeals Process
Factoids:
- In the Bundesliga, unintentional handballs are judged on the referee's interpretation of intent and tactical context.
- Players receive a one-match suspension after accumulating 5 yellow cards, with no midseason reset.
- Clubs can challenge suspensions via the DFB, but they need to prove clear officiating errors to be successful.
- Despite the controversy surrounding referee Florian Exner's decisions during the game, FC St. Pauli's coach Alexander Blessin acknowledged that VfB Stuttgart deserved the victory.
- Alexander Blessin expressed his concern over the accumulated yellow cards for defender Siebe Van der Heyden and goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, believing the second yellow card shown to Vasilj was excessive.
- The Game against VfB Stuttgart didn't mark an end to FC St. Pauli's relegation worries, as they still hold a safe position in the Bundesliga despite the defeat, with 1. FC Heidenheim trailing by 5 points with only two games remaining.
- With key players such as Van der Heyden, Vasilj, and Elias Saad injured, backup goalkeeper Ben Voll, who has shown top-notch goalkeeping skills, will be a crucial replacement for the injured Nikola Vasilj.
