Bayern Munich’s clash with 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the DFB Pokal may have been a comfortable win, in the end, for the Bavarians, but there was nothing comfortable about the way Jamal Musiala was treated. The young superstar is no stranger to getting fouled, but die Nullfünfer took it further than most. Particularly Dominik Kohr popped up again and again to deliver some heavy challenges, even once slamming his elbow into Musiala’s neck and escaping with just a yellow card.
Speaking ahead of the Bundesliga match against Union Berlin, Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany disagreed with some of the decision the referee, calling out the intention of Kohr’s challenges: “We don’t have to change the rules for a player. But the intention is important. The referee has to make the decision,” Kompany insists, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. He has to feel how a player goes into challenges during the game. We as a team and club think that players like Jamal are important. We have to deal with it properly.”
This proper handling of the situation will be needed again soon, as Bayern faced Mainz again on December 14th. Will the referee punish the likes of Kohr more severely or will the 30-year-old finish carrying out his apparent hit on Musiala? We will have to wait and see…
