Bayern Munich coach José Barcala said a discussion needs to be had about hair pulling in women’s football after disputing Franziska Kett’s red card in Saturday’s 1-1 Champions League semifinal first leg draw with Barcelona at the Allianz Arena.
Kett was sent off for pulling Salma Paralluelo’s hair in the in the 79th minute, but Barcala complained she was merely trying to grab the Barça forward’s shirt and should only have been booked.
“On the dismissal, to be honest, I think it’s something that has to be talked about in women’s football,” Barcala told Disney+ after the game.
“Salma has such long hair. There is no intention there to grab her hair. It could be that she’s trying to pull her shirt, but the hair is there and she gets hold of it.
“I can understand a booking there, but never a red card. I am sorry.”
In the aftermath to Kett’s red card, Barcala was also sent off for appealing the decision.
“I am a coach that never puts pressure on referees and I think the red was completely unfair there,” he added.
“A yellow I could have understood, but never a red.”
Left-back Kett had earlier impressed as Bayern fought back after conceding an early Ewa Pajor goal in front of a crowd of 31,000, a record for Bayern’s women’s team.
She defended well against Caroline Graham Hansen and Ona Batlle, brought a fine save from Cata Coll just before the break and then fired in the equaliser in the 69th minute with what was her first ever goal in the competition.
“She’s going to be a big loss for us in the second leg,” Bacala said of Kett, who will be suspended for next week’s return match at Spotify Camp Nou.
“She is a key player for us because of the way she dominates individual duels and defends the pockets of space, but also because of what she gives us in attack.”
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Pajor, converting Esmee Brugts’ cross, had given Barça an eighth minute lead, but Bayern were the better team from that point on in the first half.
Barça improved after the break, conceding the equaliser not long after Brugts hit the post and Patri Guijarro had a header cleared off the line, but failed to take their chances.
The best perhaps fell to Paralluelo in stoppage time, but she fired over as the Catalans failed to take advantage of having an extra player for the final 15 minutes.
“We grew as the game developed,” Barça coach Pere Romeu told Disney+. “Even with the lead, the first half was not that good.
“We changed things in the second half. We were better, even if they levelled, but I think perhaps in those final minutes we played with more heart than head, trying to force things.”
Barça now host Bayern in the second leg next Sunday for a place in the final against either OL Lyonnes or Arsenal.
The last time they welcomed Bayern, in the league phase of the competition earlier this season, they won 7-1, but a lot has changed since then, with the German side unbeaten since that heavy loss.
“I have said before that result was misleading,” Barça midfielder Alexia Putellas told TV3.
“The dressing room know that. We expected a different game today, at their place, in front off their fans. It’s a 180 minute tie and we still have 90 to go at Spotify Camp Nou, where everything will be decided.”
