Dortmund angry after top game
Fuss about Kane goal: referee expert comments
October 19, 2025 – 1:23 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The goal that made it 1-0 for the German record champions against Borussia Dortmund got BVB’s spirits aroused after the game. Now someone who needs to know has commented: Manuel Gräfe is taking a clear position.
2-1 in the top game against Borussia Dortmund, the eleventh win in the eleventh game – FC Bayern’s record in the 2025/26 season remains flawless. “A deserved victory for FC Bayern, even if BVB made it unexpectedly exciting at the end,” said Stefan Effenberg to t-online after the game. “Bayern got some real big points with this.”
One scene caused a stir – and now an ex-Fifa referee has also reacted: Manuel Gräfe judged Harry Kane’s goal in the Bundesliga duel between FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund to be in accordance with the rules – but at the same time sharply criticized referee Bastian Dankert’s management.
When Bayern scored the opening goal, Kane had his hands on the back of Serhou Guirassy, but referee Dankert didn’t blow the whistle – and didn’t watch the scene again. For Gräfe, the decision was “generous, but still justifiable,” as he wrote on Platform X. There was “a lot of work” in the penalty area – a comparable situation on the other side wouldn’t have meant a penalty for him.
However, Gräfe was critical of Dankert’s general line. According to the 50-year-old, this was “too vague” in duels and personal penalties. “There was no clear line that could be understood by everyone, which is why acceptance was lost even for justifiable or even correct decisions, which made things unnecessarily more hectic.”
According to Gräfe, Dankert made decisions that were too generous in some scenes and too petty in others. The ex-referee therefore also showed understanding for Dortmund coach Niko Kovač, who said after the game that it was “a clear wrong decision” not to take back Kane’s goal – given the referee’s previously rather petty line.
Bastian Dankert himself explained afterwards that for him it was “not a push, not a stab in the back from Guirassy”. That’s why he was sure about his decision.
Gräfe made another point: BVB player Julian Ryerson was “very lucky” not to be sent off with a yellow-red or even red card after a yellow card. Finally, Gräfe emphasized: “A review must be comprehensible and consistent in the assessment standard, because that leads to acceptance.” Dankert’s team only achieved this goal in the important scenes – but the criticism is justified for many smaller decisions.