Bayern Munich’s appeal for Zsolt Lőw’s red card failed, will serve touchline ban vs. VfL Bochum

As Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen last week came to its conclusion, Thomas Tuchel and his assistant Zsolt Lőw made their frustrations with the officiating crew quite clear. There were clear disagreements with the penalty that was awarded to Leverkusen after Alphonso Davies was whistled for contact on Leverkusen’s Jonas Hofmann in the box.

Exequiel Palacios converted the spot kick, tying the game in the dying minutes of added time. After the match, referee Daniel Schlager had backtracked from his initial statements that he made explaining his rationale for brandishing the red card to Tuchel’s assistant. He had first said Lőw had lodged profanity-laden insults his way, but then said the red was due to the manner in which Lőw charged up to him to have some choice words with him. It was more the action of walking towards Schlager than the actual dialogue itself.

Bayern officially appealed the decision of Lőw’s red card, but that appeal has been denied by the DFB’s sports court. As a result, he will be banned from being on the touchlines for Bayern’s Bundesliga match against VfL Bochum at the Allianz Arena (via @iMiaSanMia).

Ironically enough, Lőw was on the touchline with Anthony Barry for Bayern’s Champions League win over Manchester United during the week since Tuchel was serving his one-match ban that stretched back to the red card he received from Bayern’s second leg match against Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the competition last year. He was just as, if not more, animated than Tuchel normally is on the touchlines during the 4-3 win, as there was plenty to celebrate, but also a lot of moments of frustration having conceded three goals when they had so much control for most of the match.

For now, hopefully Bayern’s musical chairs, round-robin style of red card recipients is over and Tuchel can operate with a full bench and touchline of his staff moving forward after the Bochum match.

Photo by David Inderlied/picture alliance via Getty Images