Bayern Munich chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen criticised the performance of referee João Pinheiro after the German side were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern exited the competition after a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their semi final, with PSG advancing 6-5 on aggregate.
The Bundesliga side were left frustrated by several officiating decisions during the match, particularly in the first half.
One key moment involved Nuno Mendes, who avoided a second yellow card after a handball incident, with the referee instead awarding a foul in PSG’s favour.
Bayern players and staff were also angered when PSG defender João Neves handled the ball inside the penalty area following a clearance from teammate Vitinha. Despite strong appeals from the Bayern bench, VAR did not recommend a review because the handball was considered accidental under current rules.
Speaking to Sky Germany after the match, Dreesen questioned whether Pinheiro had enough experience to officiate a Champions League semi final.
“It is surprising that a referee with limited Champions League experience was appointed for a match of this level,” Dreesen said.
“And maybe that explains some of the decisions we saw during the game.”
PSG will now advance to the Champions League final, while Bayern’s European campaign ends in disappointment after falling just short over the two legs.
