Union Berlin Coach Criticizes Offside Decisions in Bundesliga

Union Berlin head coach Steffen Baumgart has voiced his dissatisfaction with the current state of offside decisions in the Bundesliga. Following a commendable performance that saw his team bring Bayern Munich’s historic winning streak to an end with a 2-2 draw at home, Baumgart believes Union could have secured all three points against the German giants.

In the 9th minute, Union striker Ilyas Ansah appeared to have scored the opening goal from a corner taken by Leopold Querfeld. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to Ansah being deemed marginally offside. The term “marginally” is particularly significant, as the five millimeters by which Ansah was ahead of his marker were undetectable to the naked eye.

The topic of offside decisions continues to provoke debate in the Bundesliga, with neither side of the argument seeing any resolution. Two incorrectly sanctioned offside goals benefitted Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the second round of the Pokal, where VAR is not utilized.

Last weekend, St. Pauli President Oke Göttlich called for clubs to be reimbursed for the fees paid to the DFL for semi-automated offside technology, which failed twice during his team’s home match.

Baumgart expressed his frustration during a post-match interview with Sky Germany, stating, “The first goal is a goal. To chalk it off for being five millimeters offside is absurd. I can draw that line 27 times for you.”

His discontent is rooted in the inconsistency of how such tight decisions are handled; in many situations, the naked eye is afforded the benefit of the doubt. Baumgart urged for more uniformity, noting, “That line isn’t drawn in places like Dresden or Bremen, but it is here. We are discussing millimeters, and there is no reliable standard. This isn’t about a foot, a heel, or a shoulder; it’s about minute measurements.”