Real Madrid's Epic Comeback Victory Over Bayern Munich Marred by Controversial Offside Call

In a match that will go down in history as one of the most controversial Champions League semifinals, Real Madrid secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Spanish club's late comeback, with Joselu scoring twice in the final minutes, resulted in a 4-3 aggregate win and secured their place in the final on June 1, where they will face Dortmund.

The Controversial Offside Call

With Bayern pushing forward and in need of an equalizer, defender Matthijs de Ligt appeared to have scored with a low shot from inside the box. However, the assistant referee raised his flag and called offside on the long ball preceding the Dutch defender's shot. Despite De Ligt and teammate Noussair Mazraoui appearing to be onside, the assistant referee's decision led to the play being called dead, halting any chance of a review as Real Madrid players stopped playing before the shot was taken.

After the match, Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel described the assistant referee's decision as "disastrous" and "like betrayal." Both De Ligt and Tuchel revealed that the assistant referee apologized following the match. CBS Sports rule analyst Christina Unkel criticized the officiating crew, highlighting the multiple mistakes made, and called attention to the oversight and lack of attention during critical moments.

Implications for the Refereeing Crew

Christina Unkel suggested that the officiating crew may face consequences for the critical error, indicating that their future assignments for big games could be affected. She emphasized the need for the implementation of technology to prevent such mistakes and expressed the disappointment within the referee community.