Nagelsmann Rages over Questionable VAR Decisions: A Contentious End to the Nations League Clash Against France
Referee under scrutiny for VAR decision, as Nagelsmann voices dissatisfaction - Referee's utilization of VAR prompts loud protest from Nagelsmann.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann vented his frustration after the tilt against France in the Nations League, angrily criticizing the referee Ivan Kruzliak's refereeing style. "The bloke's standing two meters away and deems it no foul, then scoots off to watch six minutes of siftin'. That's a misuse of the damn VAR," Nagelsmann snapped after the 0:2 defeat in the third-place game.
Addressing a duel between Niclas Füllkrug and Adrien Rabiot, Nagelsmann later fumed about a denied German goal. Deniz Undav scored the tying strike, but the Slovak referee squashed it post-review of the footage. "Listen, VAR's not supposed to be used as a crutch. The bloke's 2.30 meters away from the action, has a perfect view. It ain't a clear wrong decision," Nagelsmann sneered.
A Seat on the Hot Seat: Nagelsmann Sheds Tears for the Ref
During the break, Nagelsmann echoed sympathy for Kruzliak, empathizing with the ref's plight during high-pressure situations. Superstar Kylian Mbappé and Bayern's Michael Olise bagged the winners for France in the 45th and 84th minutes, respectively. Germany's goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was the standout defender, ensuring the score remained tight before 51,313 enthusiastic spectators.
leading up to the game, the German team suffered a crushing 1:2 defeat in the semifinals against Portugal in Munich. This marked Germany's inaugural appearance in the Final Four tournament in its fourth edition. France, having clinched the title in 2020/21, were knocked out by Spain in a nail-biting 4:5 semifinal.
- Julian Nagelsmann
- France
- Germany coach
- Nations League
- Germany
- Niclas Füllkrug
A Brief Insight:
Julian Nagelsmann, the German coach, expressed significant resentment towards the referee Ivan Kruzliak and the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system during the Nations League third-place match against France. The reasons for his beef include:
- Penalty Fiasco:
- Initially awarded a penalty to Germany when Karim Adeyemi slipped under pressure from French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the decision was reversed, and Adeyemi was yellow-carded for simulation.
- Nagelsmann agreed it wasn't a penalty but argued the yellow card was unwarranted, urging the VAR to exercise better discretion[1][3].
- Goal Derailing:
- Later, Deniz Undav hammered in what seemed to be an equalizer for Germany. However, the goal was zapped due to a foul by Niclas Füllkrug on Adrien Rabiot during the build-up. The ref initially hadn't called a foul, but a post-review of the footage led to the goal's nullification.
- Nagelsmann panned this decision, claiming the VAR process was mismanaged. He argued that if the ref hadn't initially penalized the foul, it shouldn't have been corrected unless the mistake was clear-cut[1][3][4].
- VAR (Video Assistant Referee) Misuse:
- Nagelsmann protested against what he perceived as Kruzliak's over-reliance on VAR and a lack of control over the game's flow[1][3]. He alleged the VAR process was not aligned with its intended purpose[1].
- The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on whether the principle of subsidiarity was correctly applied by the referee Ivan Kruzliek in the Nations League match between Germany and France, given Julian Nagelsmann's criticisms of the VAR system and its supposed misuse.
- As Germany coach, Julian Nagelsmann showed great passion for football, displaying a deep understanding of the game during his discussions about the controversial VAR decisions in the Nations League match against France. His analysis revealed an appreciation for sports strategy and the European leagues.
- In the heated third-place game of the Nations League, France emerged victorious over Germany, with coaches and spectators alike ruminating on the potential implications of the contentious VAR decisions that ultimately decided the match's outcome.
