RB Leipzig unfortunately failed in the round of 16 of the Champions League against Real Madrid. After a 1-0 home defeat in the first leg, the second leg drew 1-1 at the Bernabeu Stadium. A decision by the Italian referee Davide Massa particularly upset the Leipzig team: Shortly after the restart, superstar Vinicius Jr. RB defender Willi Orban after he had previously fouled him – and, in the opinion of DAZN co-commentator Michael Ballack, should have seen a red card for the action.
Orban saw it the same way after the game: “It’s a clear grab for the neck, the ball was completely somewhere else. You can give a red card,” he said. The decision was particularly bitter because Vinicius Jr. eleven minutes later scored the decisive goal to make it 1-0. Leipzig equalized a little later with a header from Orban, but it was no longer enough to advance.
Leipzig had already been disadvantaged by a referee’s decision in the first leg when a regular goal by Benjamin Sesko was disallowed.
But coach Marco Rose’s team also failed due to their own inability. Despite good opportunities, they failed to score more goals. “The referees weren’t in our favor in either game. Nevertheless, we had huge chances, so we have to take responsibility ourselves. We had so many 100 percent chances today that we should have taken advantage of,” Orban admitted. “That’s why we have to take a look at our own noses. But the scenes weren’t whistled for us.”
Full-back Benjamin Henrich also didn’t want to blame the referee for the elimination: “We had enough chances to win the game,” he said. “It’s really brutally disappointing right now.”
