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Germany fans have launched a petition to get Anthony Taylor removed from the UEFA referees’ list (Image: GETTY)
Germany fans have launched a petition to get Anthony Taylor removed from the UEFA referees’ list. The British official took charge of Germany’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Spain and waved away their protests for a penalty in extra time after the ball struck the arm of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.
Germany went on to lose the match 2-1, with Mikel Merino scoring the winning goal one minute before the end after Florian Wirtz had cancelled out Dani Olmo’s opener in normal time.
Spain will now take on France in the semi-finals and will face either England or the Netherlands in the showpiece event if they can overcome Les Bleus.
Germany were among the favourites to lift the Euro 2024 trophy on their home soil and impressed during their group matches as they thrashed Scotland 5-1, before seeing off Hungary 2-0. They drew 1-1 in their final group match against Switzerland but returned to form to defeat Denmark 2-0 in the last-16 ahead of their encounter with Spain.
The two quarter-finalists were evenly matched, with both sides aiming for a winning goal after being forced to play an extra 30 minutes. And the hosts believed they had a shout at a spot kick when Jamal Musiala lashed an effort towards goal from the edge of the box and it struck the left hand of Cucurella.
The defender’s arm was down by his side and Taylor chose to ignore the shouts as Julian Nagelsmann’s team eventually went crashing out.
Germany were denied a penalty during their Euro 2024 showdown with Spain (Image: GETTY)
And Germany fans are fuming and have made their feelings known by the way of a petition which has amassed over 30,000 signatures to date.
The Daily Mail say that Taylor was involved in a conversation with Nagelsmann’s assistant Sandro Wagner after the match, with sources saying there was no 'swearing or aggression used' following reports in Germany that suggested the coach had ‘loudly insulted’ the referee in his dressing room.
“There is a rule and I hope there is no wrong decision,” Nagelsmann explained after the match as he spoke about the penalty decision.
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“They applied the rule and it was not a penalty. I do not feel cheated. For me the question is about making it more practical, more logical, in terms of how this [handball] rule is assessed.
“I don’t understand why we don’t take into account what is happening with the ball. If Musiala kicks it towards Stuttgart centre and it hits the hand, I won’t say anything.
“But it was going towards goal. And for me, you should look at where it is going. Is it going into the clouds or is it going in the goal? In one case it is a penalty, in the other it is not.”
