Explained: Why was Bayern Munich’s late goal ruled out against Real Madrid in UCL 2023-24 semifinal?

Bayern Munich was eliminated from the Champions League after a late Joselu brace propelled Real Madrid to a thrilling 2-1 comeback win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday. 

With the first leg finishing in a 2-2 draw, Madrid qualified for the final with a 4-3 aggregate score. 

Despite the thrilling win, the match was marred with controversy towards the end after Matthijs De Ligt seemed to have scored the equaliser in stoppage-time but the goal was ruled out after the linesman had raised his flag for offside. 

What happened and why was the goal disallowed?

In the 13th minute of second-half stoppage time, in one of the last attacks of the game, De Ligt managed to shoot the ball into the net, but not before referee Szymon Marciniak had blown the whistle for offside against fellow defender Noussair Mazraoui.

Mazraoui and De Ligt both were intended targets of a long pass from inside their own half, although the Moroccan was the one who ultimately received the ball. Thomas Müller kept the ball alive in Madrid’s box, and De Ligt shot low past Andriy Lunin.

When the ball was played forward, De Ligt was offside but did not seem to touch it in the first phase of play. Mazraoui, who did, was immediately flagged offside and a free-kick was given seconds before De Ligt’s finish. 

It was not easy to judge from video replays whether Mazraoui was offside or not, but as soon as the linesman raised the flag for offside, the referee stopped the game, preventing VAR from checking the decision, as would normally have been the case.

“A disaster. An absolute disaster. With Real’s second goal, they let the play continue. The clear rule is that the scene must continue. The first mistake was made by the linesman, the second by the referee,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said after the match. 

ALSO READ: Far from a Galactico, Joselu produces a galactic night for Real Madrid in the Champions League

“Very difficult. Of course, as sportspeople we accept it,” said Tuchel. “But it is a semifinal, it’s not for two such violations of the rule. Everyone has to be at their limit. The referees have to be there as well.”

“That is what we expect. So the apology does not really help.”

De Ligt said in a post-match interview that the linesman had apologised to him for the hasty decision and not allowing the game to continue.