VfB Stuttgart challenges the irrational confinement measures
VfB Stuttgart is protesting the yellow-red card given to their captain, Atakan Karazor, during the match against VfL Wolfsburg. The Swabian club submitted an appeal to the German Football Association, claiming that referee Sven Jablonski made an error and the penalty was unwarranted.
Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth saw the error and praised Atakan's sportsmanship for accepting the referee's apology. However, Stuttgart lost their defensive leader for 30 minutes in the 2:2 draw, and could potentially face the same consequence in the upcoming home game against TSG Hoffenheim. Wohlgemuth questioned, "Is it fair to hand out a double penalty?"
Referee's regret
Jablonski acknowledged his mistake following the game and expressed his remorse to Sky News. He recounted seeing a foul on Arnold and hearing Arnold complain about a sting, but after reviewing the images, he realized that Arnold was the one who made contact with his opponent. Jablonski admitted that "yellow-red was wrong," and he was "upset" about his mistake.
However, Jablonski could not seek assistance from the video assistant referee (VAR) since a yellow card does not justify using it for a yellow-red card. The referee even criticized the rulebook, expressing his desire to check the footage in the event of a yellow-red card. "The impact on the game is significant," Jablonski said. "I wish there was an option for me to review the footage in cases like these."
Despite acknowledging his error and expressing remorse, referee Sven Jablonski was unable to overturn the yellow-red card given to VfB Stuttgart's captain, Atakan Karazor, as it was a yellow card decision initially. The VfB Stuttgart team will owe a debt of gratitude to their captain, who will now miss a significant portion of their upcoming match against TSG Hoffenheim, following their draw against VfL Wolfsburg.
