Siebert explains decision not to eject Gouweleeuw: "For us, it wasn't an assault."
Matters briefly descended into chaos late in the first-half of the Augsburg-Wolfsburg match on Saturday afternoon. Match official Daniel Siebert ended up doing out seven (!!) yellow cards in the space of three minutes.
Afterwards, Siebert discussed the matter. The ref explained why he hadn't given FCA captain Jeffery Gouweleeuw a straight red after what seemed to be an assault on Paulo Octavio's neck.
Gouweleeuw might still face more dire consequences after the DFB disciplinary committee reviews the incident in further detail.
Afterwards, Siebert discussed the matter. The ref explained why he hadn't given FCA captain Jeffery Gouweleeuw a straight red after what seemed to be an assault on Paulo Octavio's neck.
Gouweleeuw might still face more dire consequences after the DFB disciplinary committee reviews the incident in further detail.
| DFB official Daniel Siebert | Peter Kersten CC-BY-SA 4.0 |
Shortly after that, a mini-brawl ensued. Fisticuffs and flailing from packs emerging from both teams both on and off the pitch. Before it was all over, Paulo Otavio, Jefferey Gouweleeuw, Carlos Gruezo also received yellows. VfL trainer Niko Kovac and even FCA sporting director Stefan Reuter were also booked for dissent.
At the heart of the scene when tempers boiled over, Gouweleeuw apparently grabbed Otavio by the scruff of the neck and left visible scratch marks. Wolfsburg keeper Koen Casteels remarked afterwards that what Gouweleeuw did had "absolutely nothing to do with football" and should have qualified as both a straight red and a prosecutable assault.
Siebert defended his decision not to eject Gouweleeuw afterwards by noting that he was in contact with the Video review team. Siebert explained that, after informing the VAR team that Otavio had scratches on his neck, the crew in the Kölner Keller observed that Octavio's teammate Patrick Wimmer had inadvertently caused Gouweleeuw to scratch Octavio's neck while trying to jerk his hand away.
"The scratch wound results from the fact that Otavio's teammate, Wimmer, pulls Gouweleeuw's hand away," Siebert said, "This encouraged the VAR to say that it was not an assault. He merely put his hand to his neck. If that is already red for some people, then I accept that criticism. For us, it's not an assault."