"Krone" column

Only the referee got Rapid’s pulse racing

"Krone" reporter Rainer Bortenschlager writes about the Vienna derby in his column.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA pictures)

Rapid's pulse was racing during the 2-1 derby defeat at the hands of referee Julian Weinberger. A column by "Krone" reporter Rainer Bortenschlager.

"A real derby thrives on: Rivalry, pyrotechnics, creative fighting, heated atmosphere, opponents in the stands. Today is not a real derby." The banners on the purple east stand showed - even Austrias fans "missed" Rapids supporters yesterday. Which is why they hung their banners upside down in protest ...

The atmosphere was strange for a derby, the spark was never ignited and then only on the purple side. Logical. When Mamadou Sangare made it 1-0, only the press box cheered loudly, as the Green-White management had entrenched themselves there. Otherwise, only a few Rapid fans "courageously" jumped up, immediately earning an angry "Sit down!"

"But he has to give the penalty..."
On the pitch, referee Julian Weinberger drove the pulse of the Green-White team up. Because he did not award a penalty when Tin Plavotic held Louis Schaub by the neck for a header from close range, and the VAR did not intervene. Coach Robert Klauß picked up a yellow card. Later, his assistant Thomas Kraus did too. "Those were normal emotions, that's okay, I'm just not allowed to criticize," Klauß was able to live with the caution: "But he has to give the penalty. The only one who had difficulties today was the referee." True, but that also applies to a few Rapid players ...