RWE lose 1:3 to Verl. There is some confusion surrounding the sending off of Julian Eitschberger. Referee Nico Fuchs explains his decision.

In the home game against SC Verl, Red-White Essen remained winless for the third time in a row. The crucial point in the 1-3 defeat against the East Westphalians, who have long since become the Bergeborbeckers’ bogey team: the sending off of Julian Eitschberger (32nd minute).

The right-back had tackled Berkan Taz from behind with a sliding tackle. Referee Nico Fuchs initially showed Eitschberger the yellow card – after all, he had stopped an attack by the opponent. However, after consulting with his team, the referee changed his mind – and gave Eitschberger a red card.

The stadium on Hafenstrasse erupted, with the crowd loudly expressing their displeasure at this decision for the rest of the game. After the game, referee Fuchs came forward and explained what had prompted him to adjust his decision retrospectively.

“My initial perception was that it was a tactical foul. I thought he was only going to hit the player lightly,” Fuchs said on MagentaSport. ‘Then we talked about it in the team and thought about it again. He hits him from behind with an open sole, slides over his calf and ankle and hits him very hard,’ Fuchs continued.

The fact that Verl’s Taz had a severely bleeding wound – he had to be substituted after the foul – was a further indication of “dangerous foul play”. And so Fuchs showed the red card, self-critically noting: “Maybe I was a little too quick in my initial decision.”

Meanwhile, RWE coach Christoph Dabrowski was reluctant to comment on the scene. “I was surprised that he pulled red. What should I say about that?” he replied when asked by Magenta reporter Kamila Benschop. ‘I’m not going to fall into the victim role now. You saw the reaction of the spectators regarding the referee’s performance.’ And it was extremely clear.