Bayern Leverkusen player, Granit Xhaka has expressed his unhappiness with the officiating of refree Michael Olivier during Bayer Leverkusen’s huge defeat to Bayern Munich
Xabi Alonso lost his first ever game as Bayer Leverkusen manager against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League round-of-16 clash at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night, the hosts took an advantage of three-goal into the next week’s second leg.
However, Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka questioned refree Michael Olivier’s decision to award a penalty in the second half to Bayern Munich, he insists that the English refree would never have made that decision in the Premier League.
Harry Kane break the deadlock in the ninth minute and doubled by Jamal Musiala early in the second half, things turned from bad to worst for Leverkusen in the 72nd minute when substitute Edmund Tapsoba appeared to have taken down Kane inside the box following a Michael Olise corner.
After a very lengthy VAR check, Olivier awarded a penalty to Bayern, which Kane coolly slotted beyond Matej Kovar to make it three.
However, Xhaka was not pleased with the decision-making of the match officials, targeting English referee Oliver in particular in the post-game press conference.
“In the Premier League, he (Michael Oliver) doesn’t give that [as a penalty],” Xhaka told reporters after the game (h/t Get German Football News).
“I spent seven years with Arsenal and know Michael very well. I’m convinced he wouldn’t whistle for it in the Premier League. There are so many blocks in the Premier League that today it was nothing. It’s a bit disappointing from him to whistle for that penalty at this level and probably decide the game. If you give a penalty for every block, there would be so many penalties every game.”
The former Gunners player is already looking forward to next week’s return leg at the BayArena. “If we go into the second leg [with the mentality to win], take an early lead, then anything can happen,” he said. “I won’t give up. We can beat Bayern. We have to give everything. We won’t give up.”
However, before Xhaka and the team can think about staging a come back against the Bavarian giants, Alonso’s men will take on 12th-placed Werder Bremen on Saturday, March 8.
The Bay Area boys occupy second place on the Bundesliga table, with eight points behind Vincent Kompany and Co.
