Red Card on the Bench! Nico Schlotterbeck questions the referee’s decision when Borussia Dortmund was eliminated from the Champions League

Red card received Nico Schlotterbeck at the end of the match in Bergamo added to the bitterness of the defeat Borussia Dortmund from Atalanta. The 26-year-old central defender questioned the reasons behind referee José Maria Sanchez Martinez’s decision to send him off before the final kick of the match.

The match between Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund was marked by high tension towards the end. The Spanish referee issued three red cards before Lazar Samardžić ensured victory for the home team with a penalty which sent the Italian representatives through to the final round. Champions League last 16.

Apart from Nico Schlotterbeck, two other players were sent off Giorgio Scalvini from the Atalanta camp and Bensebaini framework from Dortmund.

Protest in the Bench Area

Ramy Bensebaini received a second yellow card after fouling Nikola Krstović. Meanwhile, Schlotterbeck and Scalvini received straight red cards due to their involvement in a dispute in the bench area.

Schlotterbeck felt the punishment was not commensurate. He emphasized that he had not committed any serious violations.

“I wanted to straighten out the situation. I felt ten Atalanta players standing up and protesting loudly. I also stood up and asked them to sit back down. That’s all. There were no insults or acts of disrespect,” he said after the match.

He also admitted that he did not get a clear explanation from the referee after the match ended.

“Even after the match, the referee couldn’t explain to me why I got the red card. I just want to make that clear.”

For Schlotterbeck, it was his first red card in the Champions League.

Alleged Technical Zone Violation

Borussia Dortmund Coach, Niko Kovactry to read the possible reasons behind the decision. According to him, the only thing that the referee might consider is the position of Schlotterbeck who stepped into the opponent’s technical area.

“The only thing that could possibly be criticized about Nico is that he walked into Atalanta’s side. As a coach, I know you shouldn’t be in the opposing coach’s zone. That’s probably the only reason, because apart from that there’s nothing,” said Kovac.

This decision has real consequences. Schlotterbeck and Bensebaini will certainly miss the opening match of the Champions League league phase next season due to these sanctions. This means that the incident in Bergamo not only had an impact on the outcome of the match, but also influenced the composition of the team for the next European competition.

Options in the Match Against Bayern
Schlotterbeck himself has just returned from a muscle injury and in the match in Bergamo only sat on the bench without playing. However, in the absence of Julian Ryerson, he has the opportunity to return to the line-up when Borussia Dortmund host Bayern Munich on Saturday night.

This situation put Schlotterbeck in the spotlight. On the one hand, he has to accept European sanctions, the reasons for which he does not yet fully understand. On the other hand, Dortmund still needs energy to maintain the stability of the back line in big domestic matches.

The incident in Bergamo also leaves unanswered questions, as well as a reminder that the high tension in Europe’s elite competition often leads to decisions that change the course of the season.