Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel explained his decision to take off Harry Kane with six minutes remaining of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Real Madrid, saying the injured England captain “could not continue”.
Bayern were 1-0 up and had one foot in the final when Tuchel replaced Harry Kane with back-up striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
German-born Madrid striker Joselu levelled the match just four minutes later and scored again in the second minute of injury time as the home side took the lead on the night, winning 2-1 and 4-3 on aggregate.
Jamal Musiala was also taken off with Tuchel bringing on Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller.
Harry Kane’s substitution appeared to change the momentum of the match with Bayern in control but Tuchel told broadcaster DAZN the striker was unable to continue.
“He couldn’t keep going. He played with back pain and he couldn’t keep going, his back froze up,” said Tuchel.
The loss means Harry Kane’s long wait for a trophy continues, with the 30-year-old striker still yet to lift silverware in his club career.
‘Absolute disaster’ Thomas Tuchel slammed a late offside call, calling the decision an “absolute disaster” as Real Madrid eliminated his side in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.
With Real 2-1 up having come from behind with two late goals, Joshua Kimmich put in a long pass which was headed centrally by Thomas Mueller for defender Matthijs de Ligt to score in the 12th minute of stoppage time.
Real, who drew the Munich tie 2-2, went through 4-3 on aggregate.
The goal did not stand after the linesman raised his flag earlier in the move before the ball went in the net, therefore ruling out a VAR review.
An animated Tuchel ran down the sideline after the decision. After the match, he told broadcaster DAZN the decision was “a disaster, an absolute disaster”.
“We have to let the action play out until the end. That’s the rule, especially since it’s so close to the goal, and it’s so limited.
“The first error is made by the linesman, the second comes from the referee,” Tuchel said.
The 50-year-old coach told broadcaster TNT the decision “felt like a betrayal”.
Speaking at the press conference, Tuchel said the referee apologised but added: “It doesn’t help to say sorry.
“Everyone has to go to their limit, everyone has to suffer, everyone has to play without making mistakes. So the referee has to be at that level too.
“It just doesn’t help to make excuses after the fact.
“You are on the field for this reason, because you are the best there is” that until The goalscorer De Ligt agreed with his coach, calling the decision decisive in the match.
“The scene at the end, I find it incredible. I can’t understand why he (the referee) doesn’t let the action play out.
“He apologised. I wouldn’t want to say that Real are always lucky, but that decision makes the difference today,” De Ligt told DAZN.
A disappointed Bayern captain Manuel Neuer said: “We’re in the Champions League semi-finals… I think he knows it was a mistake and that you shouldn’t make a decision like that so quickly.”
