Jan-Christian Dreesen (foto: Getty Images)
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen criticised UEFA and referee Joao Pinheiro after the controversial Champions League defeat to PSG.
Bayern Munich are still furious after their dramatic Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain.
The German giants complained heavily about the refereeing performance of Portuguese official Joao Pinheiro after PSG progressed to the final with a 6:5 aggregate victory.
Bayern players and coaches were already vocal after the match, especially regarding two controversial handball incidents inside the PSG penalty area. Now the club’s leadership has also publicly joined the criticism.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen openly questioned UEFA’s decision to appoint Pinheiro for one of the biggest matches of the season.
“It's shocking to say the least that they allowed a referee who has only refereed 15 Champions League matches to referee such a match! That probably explains why he refereed like that,” said Dreesen.
The comments reflect the anger inside Bayern after the referee refused appeals for a penalty and did not send off a PSG player despite strong protests from the home side.
Joao Pinheiro only started officiating in the Champions League during the 2022/23 season. He handled his first knockout-stage match last season and yesterday’s clash in Munich was his eighth Champions League game of the current campaign.
Bayern believe the lack of experience showed during several key moments in the match, especially in high-pressure situations inside the penalty area.
Despite the controversy, PSG secured another final appearance and will now face Arsenal in Budapest on May 30.
For Bayern, the European exit leaves frustration and a feeling that they missed a major opportunity to return to the Champions League final for the first time since winning the trophy in 2020.