Michael Olise’s ejection continues to spark debate at FC Bayern. Should he even be fined? Lothar Matthäus has a clear opinion.
Michael Olise’s yellow-red card in the 3-3 draw against Viking Stavanger continues to be a topic of discussion at FC Bayern. The Frenchman picked up two yellow cards in quick succession in the second half, thereby weakening his team at a crucial moment.
After Olise was initially shown a yellow card for holding, he got into a scuffle with Viking captain Zlatko Tripic and threw the ball in his opponent’s face. Referee Georgi Kabakov then showed the 24-year-old his second yellow card.
The consequences are already being felt: Olise will be suspended for FC Bayern’s upcoming Champions League match against Arsenal. Furthermore, the question remains whether the star forward will also face internal disciplinary action from the club.
Lothar Matthäus, however, does not believe an additional fine is the right approach.
“He was hit in the back; he just let himself get provoked,” Matthäus explained on the sidelines of the premiere of the documentary “Müller-Wohlfahrt: The Doctor of Champions.”
The 65-year-old added: “I know how to react when you’re just being provoked. He was even hit, which is why I don’t understand the VAR—that such an incident ultimately went unpunished.”
Matthäus doesn’t think a fine is the answer
Despite his understanding, however, Matthäus did not want to completely excuse Olise’s behavior. “It was just a stupid move—to me, it was a minor mistake,” said the former Bayern Munich pro.
Matthäus, however, doesn’t think much of an additional fine at all: “Oh, what good do fines do? Is he supposed to donate 5,000 euros somewhere now? That doesn’t hurt him,” explained the TV analyst.
In his view, FC Bayern should address the incident internally and then look ahead together.
At FC Bayern itself, the matter has not yet been fully resolved. After the match, sporting director Max Eberl left open the question of whether Olise would face further internal disciplinary action.
When asked about a possible fine, the 53-year-old simply stated: “We’ll handle that calmly.” Eberl had previously strongly criticized the red card and emphasized that Bayern had allowed themselves to be provoked by Tripic.
Coach Vincent Kompany also spoke plainly after the game. He called the red card “ridiculous” and explained that the behavior had already been addressed internally. At the same time, the Belgian avoided a public showdown with his star forward.