Bayern Munich has escalated its complaint against UEFA following a contentious Champions League semi-final elimination by Paris Saint-Germain, with club leadership questioning the appointment of referee Joao Pinheiro for such a high-stakes fixture. Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen expressed shock that a Portuguese official with only 15 Champions League appearances and zero previous semi-final experience was selected to oversee the tie, which ended 1-1 on the night and 6-5 on aggregate in PSG's favour.
"It is at least astonishing that a referee who has never officiated a semi-final before and who only has 15 Champions League games on his record is officiating a semi-final," Dreesen told BILD. The 38-year-old's previous most prominent assignment had been the UEFA Super Cup final, making his appointment to oversee two European powerhouses a significant jump in responsibility. Bayern's frustrations centred on multiple decisions, particularly a handball incident involving PSG midfielder Joao Neves where the ball struck his arm from a teammate's clearance—a sequence that manager Vincent Kompany believed warranted closer examination.
Kompany's Controversial Calls Complaint
Kompany was particularly aggrieved by an earlier moment when Nuno Mendes, already cautioned, appeared to handle the ball deliberately. Instead of issuing a second yellow card, Pinheiro awarded a free-kick against Bayern for an earlier Konrad Laimer challenge. The Belgian manager suggested the referee lacked conviction in making bold decisions: "I felt he pulled out because he realised he already gave him a yellow and he didn't want to send him off for that." Bayern director Max Eberl reinforced the grievance, noting a potential red card would have fundamentally altered the match dynamics.
The controversy deepened when Michael Ballack, Bayern's legendary former captain, suggested unprecedented intervention by the fourth official in the Laimer incident raised serious questions. "It is the first time that the fourth official has intervened in such a scene," Ballack told DAZN, implying officials may have coordinated to avoid issuing the decisive second yellow. Bayern's exit marks another Champions League disappointment, while the club now shifts focus to the DFB-Pokal final as PSG advances toward facing Arsenal in the continental championship match.
