MUNICH:
Bayern Munich were held to a 0-0 draw away on Wednesday, the home side having what could have been a match-winning penalty overturned by VAR in injury time.
Bayern, who scored two late goals to come from behind and win 2-1 in Denmark in October, looked to turn the game late again when the referee pointed to the spot in added time for a handball against Frans Kraetzig.
After a VAR review showed contact with the upper arm and shoulder, referee Stephanie Frappart withdrew the penalty, despite the protests of striker Harry Kane and home manager Thomas Tuchel.
Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller told DAZN the decision was inconsistent with the controversial handball decisions given against Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund in Tuesday’s fixtures.
“I’m no friend of the rule, but when you compare it to yesterday, it’s pretty weird.
“I think the rule makers want to try and make handball calls objective, but you can’t do that.”
Despite Bayern dropping points in the Champions League group stages at home for the first time since 2018, the German champions qualify for the last 16 in first place.
Tuchel said his side “can do better and we’ve done better recently, but we can check that box and move past it”.
“We weren’t fluid enough and we didn’t take enough risks.”
The result, combined with Manchester United’s 3-3 draw at Galatasaray, means Copenhagen sit second in the group with a match remaining.
The Danish side can qualify for the last 16 for just the second time in their history by avoiding defeat at home to Galatasaray in December.
After making no substitutions in the weekend’s win over Cologne despite complaints about player strain, Tuchel shuffled his deck, benching Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry, but keeping Kane up front with first place secured.
A hip complaint ruled Kim Min-Jae out, pushing midfield stalwart Leon Goretzka into central defence, while Mueller was given a first Champions League start of the campaign.
Despite 22 goals in 17 matches for Bayern before kick-off, Kane was quiet early on.
The home side however had several early chances through Mueller and Mathys Tel, the France teenager 16 years the Bayern veteran’s junior, building a budding partnership up front.
Mueller created an early chance for Tel only for the teenager to blast over, scuffing his shot with his shin.
Tel then found Mueller directly in front of goal, but the 2014 World Cup winner’s attempt was kept out by a desperation save from Kamil Grabara.
Grabara was on the spot again midway through the second stanza, keeping a Kane shot out of goal with his fist.
Mueller, playing 90 minutes for just the second time this season in all competitions, went down in the box late under attention of the visiting defence but the referee waived his claims of a penalty away.
“From the images, it doesn’t look so wild… it’s a small push but an obvious one at the right moment. You can give it” Mueller said.
Through to the knockouts for the 16th straight year, Bayern will travel to Manchester in December, with the hosts sitting last in the group.
Despite the draw, which ended Bayern’s run of 17 straight group stage wins, the home side continued their unbeaten run in the group stage to a record 39 games.