Did FC Bayern benefit from a controversial decision in the DFB Cup quarter-final against RB Leipzig? A scene from the 28th minute continues to cause debate – and different assessments from prominent experts
It centred on a duel between Josip Stanisic and Antonio Nusa on the edge of the penalty area. The Bayern defender brought down the Leipzig attacker, but referee Daniel Siebert allowed play to continue. The VAR did not intervene either. A foul in itself was hardly up for debate – the crucial question was rather: did the offence take place inside or outside the penalty area?
Gräfe: „Clear penalty for RBL!“
#FCBRBL
clear penalty for RBL! Ref is allowed to see a clear leg challenge himself, but inside the VAR ! #Varwas?!! Left foot is already on the line & the contact is definitely at almost knee height and thus at least 20-30 cm further & above the penalty area line, which leads to the penalty area… pic.twitter.com/msn24qXA7f
– Manuel Gräfe (@graefe_manuel) February 11, 2026
Former Bundesliga referee Manuel Gräfe took a clear stance immediately after the incident, writing on Platform X: „Clear penalty for RBL!“ For him, the decision not to award a penalty kick was wrong
„The referee is also allowed to see clear leg-stepping himself,“ added Gräfe. In his opinion, the VAR should have intervened at the latest. The position of Stanisic’s left foot was particularly decisive. „The contact is definitely at almost knee height and therefore at least 20 to 30 cm further and above the penalty area line, which belongs to the penalty area,“ argued the former referee
Gräfe was convinced that at least part of the contact had taken place on or above the line – and therefore, according to the rules, in the penalty area. As is well known, the line is part of the penalty area, which would result in a penalty in case of doubt
However, TV images from Sky also showed that Stanisic was clearly in front of the line with both feet at the start of the action. It was only later that both players slipped into the penalty area. Several replays did not bring any clear clarity, which made the assessment even more difficult
Matthäus: „Slightly in front of the line“
Sky pundit Lothar Matthäus disagreed with Gräfe on the decisive question. For him, the foul took place „slightly in front of the line“ – i.e. outside the penalty area. A penalty was therefore not justified
However, Matthäus also saw a mistake by referee Siebert – but in a different dimension. In his opinion, a free-kick should at least have been awarded to RB Leipzig. He was critical of the fact that even this decision was not made
Gräfe, in turn, referred to a similar scene from the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC St. Pauli, in which a penalty was ultimately awarded. „There was rightly a penalty… nobody understands these differences,“ he complained, renewing his fundamental criticism of the lack of uniformity in German refereeing
The fact is that the scene remains a matter of interpretation, and the images do not prove beyond doubt that the decision was clearly wrong – but the discussion about line, contact point and VAR intervention is likely to continue.