We shouldn't have to accept it anymore – Toppmöller slams refereeing after Eintracht draw with Heidenheim
Dino Toppmöller, the coach of Eintracht Frankfurt, criticized the referee Christian Dingert following his team's 1-1 draw with Heidenheim. He believed that Elye Wahi’s goal, which appeared to put Eintracht ahead in the 23rd minute, was wrongly disallowed.
The goal came from a backheel finish by Wahi, but the referee had already stopped play, calling a foul on Arthur Theate against Heidenheim captain Patrick Mainka.
“In recent weeks, there have indeed been one or two decisions going against us. I don’t want that – and we shouldn’t have to accept it anymore. That is definitely unacceptable,” Toppmöller told Sky, clearly frustrated by the call.
“That’s exactly what we have the video referee for. Let the play continue and check it afterwards. If it really was a foul, you can still judge it then. Honestly, I don’t see a foul – neither in the live replay nor on video. So this is extremely frustrating for us.”
Even Patrick Mainka admitted the decision was doubtful.
“It’s not clear that it was a foul. You have to say we were lucky there,” said the Heidenheim defender.
This incident highlights the ongoing debate over refereeing decisions and VAR usage in football matches.
Toppmöller’s frustration underscores the need for clearer, more consistent refereeing decisions to maintain fairness on the pitch.