The lack of a video referee is causing discussion in the DFB Cup. Dietmar Hamann also joins the debate - and makes his views clear.
31.10.2025, 14:15
dpa
In the discussion about the controversial decisions in the DFB Cup, former German international Dietmar Hamann has called for a uniform approach to the use of the video referee. "It can't be that you only use the technology from the third round onwards. Either you play the whole competition with VAR, or you play the whole competition without it," said the expert, who also works for blue Sport, in his column on Sky.
Due to structural and financial challenges, VAR will not be used earlier. In the first two cup rounds, the referees are left to their own devices and their assistants.
Hamann: Referees "overwhelmed"
"A situation has been created in which the referees are often no longer able to officiate a match without VAR. That's frightening," criticized Hamann. "The referees are simply overwhelmed by the situation that they have no additional protection."
There were several controversial scenes in the second round of the DFB Cup on Tuesday and Wednesday. In FC Bayern's 4:1 win at 1. FC Köln, for example, Munich striker Luis Díaz had scored the interim 1:1 from a clear offside position.
"But if a referee doesn't see Luis Díaz's offside, then there's nothing left to whistle or wave at this high level," complained Hamann. "In previous years, there was rarely a need for discussion in the first rounds of the cup because the referees whistled differently and better."
