Bayern bungle ref ruled out of Scots’ Euro 2024 opener
UEFA are set to ditch Polish referee Szymon Marciniak from taking charge of Scotland’s glamour Euro 2024 opener against Germany – because of his Champions League clanger against Bayern Munich.
Scotland play at the home of Bayern, the Allianz Arena, for the first game of the tournament on June 14 against the hosts, before facing Switzerland and Hungary.
But Marciniak was hit with a barrage of criticism in Germany after disallowing a Bayern goal deep into injury time as they crashed out of the semi-final at Real Madrid this week.
And reports in Marciniak’s Polish homeland have revealed European football’s governing body has indicated to the whistler he will no longer be considered for the opening game because of German outrage.
Bayern were furious because Marciniak immediately stopped play when his assistant referee signalled for offside before Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt put the ball in the Madrid net.
Because he immediately whistled, VAR intervention was impossible and the offside check and the subsequent goal could not have been checked.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel lashed out and said: “The decision was an absolute disaster. The attack has to be played to the end, that’s the rule, especially when it’s so close to the goal.”
And veteran Bayern striker Thomas Müller stated: “It was an absolutely wild call. There was no reason to blow the whistle so quickly and so early.”
Marciniak refereed the 2022 World Cup Final and last year’s Champions League Final, but Uefa will look for a less controversial whistler for Scotland’s opener.