Pressure mounts on Bayern's Nagelsmann after lashing on referee
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Loading... - Petra Vogel
- 21 Feb 2023
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It looks like unexpected pressure is building on Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann with the German Football Federation launching an inquiry into his heated outburst aimed at referee Tobias Welz and his team of match officials in the wake of the Bavarians' 3-2 defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.
Nagelsmann tried talking to the referee immediately after the game, then rushed past journalists in the mixed zone to go to the officials’ dressing room.
"Is he messing me around or what?" Nagelsmann reportedly roared on his way before he knocked on the officials’ door.
Kicker magazine reported Nagelsmann spent about a minute in the changing room, then emerged just as angry when he came out.
"My god, my god, a soft-rinsed pack!" Nagelsmann said.
Nagelsmann later apologized for his "choice of words," but it hasn’t stopped the federation from looking into potential unsporting behavior. It said Sunday it had asked the Bayern coach for a statement and will decide what action to take after it has been evaluated.
Nagelsmann was furious, over central defender Dayot Upamecano’s early red card – a decision that left his team with a player less from the eighth minute.
Welz sent off Upamecano for a light touch on Alassane Plea’s shoulder as the French forward rushed through on goal. There was only minimal contact, but it was still enough to put Plea off.
"The Gladbach player gets himself in front of the Bayern player just in front of the penalty area, gets the contact, and thus loses his balance, although he still tries to keep running," Welz said Sunday. "The striker wants to score the goal. He’s going on his own toward the goalkeeper. Why would he throw himself down?"
Nagelsmann saw it differently.
"It’s simply not a red," he said after the match.
Nagelsmann is also under scrutiny for taking off team captain Thomas Muller to compensate for losing Upamecano rather than the out-of-sorts Serge Gnabry or inexperienced Ryan Gravenberch among others. Read More…
