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Key takeaways from Borussia Dortmund’s thrashing of Paderborn

ByAustin Weldon
Borussia Dortmund will be aiming to build on last weekend's win over Paderborn (Photo by Lars Baron / POOL / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by LARS BARON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Borussia Dortmund will be aiming to build on last weekend's win over Paderborn (Photo by Lars Baron / POOL / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by LARS BARON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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A controversial penalty was given to Paderborn after Emre Can’s handball (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
A controversial penalty was given to Paderborn after Emre Can’s handball (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Penalty Controversy

It is only fitting that right after Borussia Dortmund were denied a penalty on a Boatang hand ball against Bayern, they concede a penalty on an even less clear cut play, causing outrage amongst BVB supporters, and rightly so.

On Tuesday, Dortmund were denied a pretty clear penalty when Boatang’s outstretched elbow blocked a shot that was clearly heading into the back of the net. Not only was it not given, but VAR failed to intervene and suggest the ref take a closer look. With Dortmund losing 1-0 in the game, a penalty would have been massive to their hopes of getting at least a point out of the game.

Against Paderborn, Emre Can jumped in front of a shot, doing an exceptional job of keeping his arm in tight to his chest. As unobjectively as possible, I would say his arm was much tighter to his body and in a much more natural position than Boatang’s.

Regardless this was instantly deemed a handball and a penalty for Paderborn insued. The hand ball rule is getting impossible to follow and every ref seemingly has a different interpretation of the rule.

Once again it is just curious that this call went in the way of Bayern against Dortmund and a similar play goes against Dortmund less than a week later.

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