Marciniak Pole-axed for Scots Euro clash
UEFA are set to ditch referee Szymon Marciniak from Scotland’s glamour Euro 2024 opener against Germany – because of his Champions League clanger.
The Pole was hotly tipped to take charge of the Scots in the Euros 2024 opener with hosts Germany in Munich’s Allianz Arena on June 14.
But Marciniak has come in for a barrage of criticism in Germany after he disallowed a Bayern Munich goal deep in injury time as they crashed out of the Champions League to Real Madrid in the semifinal last week.
Now reports in the whistler’s homeland have revealed that European football’s governing body have indicated to the referee that he will no longer be considered for the opening game because of German outrage.
Bayern were furious when Marciniak, who refereed both the World Cup Final in 2022 and last year’s Champions League Final, instantly stopped play when his assistant signalled for offside before Matthijs de Ligt put the ball in the Madrid net.
Because he whistled, VAR intervention was impossible and the offside and subsequent goal could not be checked.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel blasted: “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.”
Veteran Bayern forward Thomas Müller added: “It was an absolutely wild call. There was no reason to blow the whistle so quickly and so early.”