VfB Stuttgart in the crisis: Hoeneß criticizes referee performance sharply

VfB Stuttgart in the crisis: Hoeneß criticizes referee performance sharply

In an intensive and charged atmosphere after the 3: 3 draw against Mainz 05 last Saturday, the disappointment at VfB Stuttgart was clearly noticeable. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß had to deal with another defeat and the spirits of a possible false start. The team did not win two games in a row in the current Bundesliga season and thus reinforced the fears of a worrying performance.

The defeat against SC Freiburg (1: 3) followed the exciting draw against the Mainz, which brings the Swabians into a difficult situation, since they have already conceded six goals. The upcoming tasks will also be challenging: After the international break, Mönchengladbach and Dortmund are on the list, followed by a Champions League game against Real Madrid. These framework conditions contribute to the nervousness and the eye is firmly aimed at the performance of the referee.

anger about the decision of the referee

Hoeneß was particularly concerned about the penalty whistle in the 43rd minute, which led to the connection goal for Mainz. Enzo Millot, a VfB player, had touched him in the duel with Jonathan Burkardt, the Mainz striker, on the heel, which ultimately led to a case initiated in the penalty area. The penalty was safely used by Nadiem Amiri, which significantly influenced the dynamics of the game.

Hoeneß said clearly about this decision and described it as wrong. "It is a natural running movement from Enzo Millot. I don't think you have to fall. It is not a penalty for me," he said in an interview with Sky. This decision, Hoeneß argues, was a hindrance to the tactics of his team and contributed to the uncertainty.

was also that the duel took place far from the goal. After the game, Burkardt stated that he was not deliberately fallen, but because of a misfortune, forced himself to be forced to go to the ground through a noticeable contact.

referee at the center of the criticism

The referee Timo Gerach, who also asked the video assistants for advice, did not change his original decision and trusted his judgment without checking the situation on the monitor again. Alex Feuerherd, the spokesman for the DFB referee, made it clear afterwards that the decision was not clearly wrong and that the VAR (video assistant referee) did not have to intervene.

"If you have to give the penalty, you can argue about it. But it is clear that there has to be no intervention by the video assistant," said Feuerherdt. This led to further tensions, since the other controversial game situation was now at the center of attention. In the 61st minute, Burkardt himself scored the 2-2 goal, but Jae-Sung Lee, another Mainz player, was previously on the ball. Here, too, Feuerherdt expressed that the handball was not punished, since Stuttgart subsequently had several ball owners.

The tense comments by Hoeneß and the sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth reflect the frustration in the VfB camp. Wohlgemuth found that Gerach had "not his very best day". Mainz trainer Bo Henriksen, on the other hand, defended both his player and the referee and praised the decisions that had to be made in a complex game.