Alex Frei, Rolf Fringer and refereeing expert Stephan Klossner all agree: Lukas Görtler was wrongly sent off against Sion and was rightly annoyed after the final whistle - and once again.
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- FCSG captain Lukas Görtler was sent off in stoppage time against Sion on Monday after a controversial yellow-red card.
- Although St.Gallen won the game 1:0, the German was furious after the final whistle. He complains in the referee's booth - wearing only his underpants.
- It is not the first time that Görtler has been terribly upset about a decision by the referees. In 2024, he mocked the referees on social media after a harsh sending-off.
It was already the 91st minute at Kybunpark when Lukas Görtler got to the ball in front of opponent Patjim Kasami and poked it away. To the great surprise of the St.Gallen captain, however, the referee Sven Wolfensberger whistled for a free kick for FC Sion.
Görtler goes to the ground and no longer understands the world. But it gets even worse. Wolfensberger also picks up a yellow card and because Görtler has already been cautioned, the 30-year-old is sent off. Unjustly, as refereeing expert Stephan Klossner explains: "Görtler hits Kasami's foot with his foot. He slips in there. I see this contact, the foul can be given. But because he clearly goes for the ball, I think the yellow card is too harsh and wrong. That wouldn't be a yellow-red card."
The experts in the blue Sport Studio are of the same opinion. "He was able to get the ball away, then there was a tackle because Kasami was too late," says Rolf Fringer. And Alex Frei is annoyed: "That's not even a foul. It's still a contact sport and there's a difference between deliberate and not deliberate. He clears the ball and maybe there's a slight contact - but neither a foul nor a yellow card."
Görtler complains in his underpants
The anger at FCSG is huge, even though they win the game 1:0. Coach Enrico Maassen pays a visit to the referee, as does Lukas Görtler, who marches into the referee's booth in his underpants after the final whistle.
For the German, the whole thing probably feels like déjà vu. Because Görtler experienced something similar in January 2024. Back then, he was sent off after just three minutes in a match against Lugano - and the decision was also questionable on that occasion. Görtler played the ball first before hitting opponent Jonathan Sabbatini on the calf.
After the match, Görtler took a shot at the referee via Instagram. His post showed a picture from the show "Verstehen Sie Spass?" with presenter Frank Elstner, with the accompanying text: "Did anyone happen to see him between 14:15 and 14:30 in St. Gallen?"
