BERLIN: The German Football Association (DFB) on Friday rejected Freiburg’s appeal following a substitution mixup by Bayern Munich in their Bundesliga match last week, protecting the Bavarians’ nine-point lead going into the final six matches.

The Court ruled it was not Bayern’s fault that they played with 12 players for several seconds late in the game, but that of the match officials.

Bayern won the game 4-1 but in the 86th minute due to a mixup between club officials and the fourth official during a double substitution, the wrong number for Kingsley Coman was shown on the substitution board.

The winger did not leave the pitch until about 16 seconds later.

Under German FA rules if a team is found to have introduced a non-eligible player then the opponents are awarded the game by a 2-0 scoreline.

“The DFB sports court has decided that Bayern Munich cannot be blamed for the introduction of a non-eligible player,” the DFB said in a statement. “The minor contribution of fault by Bayern... takes a back seat to the misconduct of the referees,” said Stephan Oberholz, chairman of the DFB’s sports court. “It is not sufficient enough to justify the serious legal consequence of a match reclassification” and the three points being awarded to Freiburg. Freiburg can appeal the decision within one working day of its publication.

Although, Freiburg were clearly uncomfortable with having to lodge a protest and in a statement last Monday, the club described the situation as a “dilemma through no fault of our own”.

Freiburg coach Christian Streich had stressed that the appeal “wasn’t about us getting the points”.

However, the club from Germany’s Black Forest are just three points from the lucrative Champions League places for next season.

The decision is a big boost for Bayern, who followed up last week’s substitution blunder with their first Champions League loss of the season at Villarreal in midweek.

On Tuesday, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann had slammed Freiburg’s senior bosses for appealing, but he walked back his comments on Friday.

“I am obviously happy that we get to keep the points (from the Freiburg game),” Nagelsmann told a news conference. “I would also like to make it clear that I am not disappointed at all by Freiburg or coach Christian Streich for (appealing) it.” Nagelsmann had said he would not have appealed the result given that there was no impact on the game itself.

The Bavarians, on course for a record 10th straight league crown, are on 66 points with Borussia Dortmund in second place on 57. Bayern will be in action against Augsburg on Saturday.

Freiburg remain in fifth place on 45.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2022