Referee Deniz Aytekin admits regret over Mahmoud Dahoud red card against Gladbach

Bundesliga referee Deniz Aytekin has admitted that with a little more composure, he would not have given Mahmoud Dahoud a red card during Borussia Dortmund’s clash against Borussia Mönchengladbach in September. 

Borussia Dortmund suffered a 1-0 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in September on Marco Rose’s return to his former club. But the biggest talking point of the game came in the 40th minute when Mahmoud Dahoud was sent off.

Dahoud was controversially given a second yellow card by referee Deniz Aytekin for his reaction to a foul he committed. The referee’s decision to send Dahoud off effectively sealed the game in Gladbach’s favor, and saw Borussia Dortmund drop three crucial points in the Bundesliga title race.

Deniz Aytekin said after the game that he deemed Dahoud’s waving off as disrespectful, and added that he simply does not want to see that kind of behaviour on the pitch. But now looking back at the incident almost two months later, the Bundesliga referee has admitted that he reacted a bit too emotionally. In an interview with Deutschlandfunk, Aytekin said:

"“Looking back, what bothers me about the whole thing is that I let myself get so emotional. If I had kept a little more composure, I wouldn’t have sent Mo Dahoud off. However, I have to say quite clearly: I simply do not want this waving off.”"

While Aytekin does have a bit of regret on his decision to give Dahoud a red card against Gladbach, he also believes that the referees aren’t always given enough respect from players in football. “There are other sports where referees are appreciated and respected. In football, unfortunately, it’s not always like that.”

Aytekin, who has been a referee in the Bundesliga since 2008 and has overseen almost 200 games in the league, also feels that giving referees a microphone so they can explain their decisions to everyone is an idea that could be implemented in football.