Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards ended up in a fierce discussion on Tuesday-evening following the rejected goal of Jude Bellingham in the first half of the match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals of the Champions League (2-1). Carragher finds referee Ovidiu Hategan’s course of action incomprehensible, while former Manchester City defender Richards took an understanding of the arbitration.
With a 1-0 lead, City keeper Ederson took the ball outside the penalty area. Bellingham rushed to him and took the ball off, after which he was able to score in an empty goal. Ederson kicked in the game against Bellingham and then went to the ground himself, whereupon Hategan whistled for a foul by the Dortmund midfielder, who even got a yellow card for the action. Because the referee whistled for the foul before the ball had rolled over the goal line, the VAR could not reverse the situation and Dortmund was deprived of the goal. Carragher believes that the referee should not have blown his whistle until the ball had rolled over the goal line, so that the VAR could have made a judgment.
“If the referee sees a tackle and he thinks it is a violation, then he whistles for the violation,” Richards began Tuesday evening in the studio. CBS Sports . “He’s totally wrong, he’s completely wrong!” Richards emphasized. “But that was unnecessary, he doesn’t have to whistle at all. It’s a unique situation,” Carragher responded in exasperation. Richards then said. that there is always a lot of commentary on the VAR, but that the video referee could have been of value now. “We always talk about how the VAR spoils the game and that the referee no longer supervises the match itself …” Richards said, after which Carragher immediately responded: “I know why you didn’t want a VAR tonight, Jesus Christ!”, said the former international, referring to Richards’ alleged preference for Manchester City.
Presenter Kate Abdo’s suggestion that both analysts might be ‘a little bit right’ was immediately dismissed by Carragher. “That’s bullshit! This is a unique situation, this does not happen often, ”said Carragher, who did not have time to talk from Richards. “If the referee thinks it is a violation …”, after which Carragher spoke up again and took Richards’s hand: “How can you not understand this ?! This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard! He thinks it’s a violation, no problem. But he knows that if he whistles, he sidelines the VAR. Yes? We all know what’s going to happen. He shoots the ball into the goal and then you can look at the situation. ”
Was it a foul or not ??@ Carra23 and @micahrichards go back and forth on the referee’s decision against Jude Bellingham and Dortmund. ?????? pic.twitter.com/wEmzp26J7t
– Champions League on CBS Sports (@UCLonCBSSports) April 6, 2021
Richards stuck to his own position. “Where in the rules of the game say you have to let the game continue? It does not say that. If the referee thinks it is a violation, he has every right to blow the whistle. ” Carragher was not convinced by his colleague. “Do you think the UEFA and FIFA people who judge him will say he was right?” He asked Richards, who thinks the judges will say that Hategan made the wrong decision. “Even if it’s a violation, you give yourself the chance to get it right one hundred percent. Had let the ball go into goal and then called on the VAR, ”said Carragher.