Overview

• Referee Matthias Jöllenbeck awarded VfB Stuttgart a penalty after a lengthy VAR review initiated by video assistant Günter Perl.
• The incident stemmed from Köln goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe clipping striker Ermedin Demirovic, who played on before the intervention was requested.
• Lukas Kwasniok told DAZN the system has become “questionable,” arguing that not every contact is a foul and that the referee appeared unhappy to be sent to the monitor.
• Sporting director Thomas Kessler said Jöllenbeck was “more or less forced” into the call and explicitly placed responsibility on Perl.
• Kessler also questioned the consistency of VAR application, suggesting such an intervention would not occur in a marquee title matchup, and described the handling as unfair to Köln.