Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 8y

Refereeing of German Cup final 'history repeating' - Mats Hummels

Borussia Dortmund players were frustrated after another controversial decision went against them in the German cup final against Bayern Munich on Saturday.

"We've managed a hat trick in finals which were essentially influenced by the referee," Mats Hummels said, referencing to Franck Ribery escaping a red card in the first half.

With the game tied at 0-0 but Dortmund gaining more control toward the end of the first half, Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Borussia's Gonzalo Castro clashed close to the Bavarian's dug-out.

Confronting each other, Ribery appeared to gouge Castro's left eye with the fourth official grabbing the Bayern player's shoulder and holding him back. The pair were both punished with a yellow card by referee Marco Fritz.

"That's a clear red card in football. But it wasn't awarded," Borussia left-back Marcel Schmelzer told reporters after the match. "[The fourth official] is only ten centimetres away."

Dortmund have lost three consecutive finals to Bayern Munich, and they feel they had major decisions go against them in each of those defeats.

In the 2013 Champions League final, Ribery elbowed then-BVB player Robert Lewandowski 26 minutes in, but escaped unpunished. Referee Nicola Rizzoli later also allowed Dante -- who had already been booked -- to stay on the pitch after fouling Marco Reus and was later awarded a penalty.

A year later, Mats Hummels had a goal disallowed by referee Florian Meyer -- an incident later cited as one of the factors contributing to the introduction of goal-line technology in Germany.

"It's not the first time we are talking about this," Schmelzer said. "Although I have to admit we did not play well, and only fought to prevent Bayern from scoring.

"But if there's a violent conduct in the first half and it's not punished according to the rules, it's clearly game-deciding for me. I don't think that a ten-man Bayern would have taken their game to us like they did with eleven.

"It's madness that I have to talk about a wrong call by a ref for the third time after a final."

Dortmund captain Hummels -- whom it has since been confirmed signed a five-year contract with Bayern on Monday -- echoed Schmelzer sentiment, and said: "It's history repeating."

The future Bayern centre-back, however, added: "But you don't have to believe that a red card would have determined a cup win for us."

Speaking to kicker, Ribery defended himself: "Castro also had his fingers in my face. That's why I have reacted like this. But Castro didn't think it was all that bad. He's a good lad. Emotions, fights, that's all part of football. I am not a bad guy."

Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer said: "If Franck had taken the initiative, I could understand the annoyance. But Castro started it, and that's why nobody should raise a complaint. And if you want to win through a red card, then I don't know. Everyone has to decide for himself."

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