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Julian Nagelsmann is booked by referee Tobias Welz. DPA/PA Images
glad to see the bach of them

Bayern Munich boss apologises for rant at referee after another loss to 'Gladbach

Elsewhere, Real Madrid warmed up to face Liverpool with a stuttering win over Osasuna.

LAST UPDATE | Feb 18th 2023, 10:25 PM

BAYERN MUNICH MANAGER Julian Nagelsmann apologised for storming into the referee’s changing room after his side’s 3-2 loss at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday where he blasted the officials as “spineless”.

Bayern were reduced to 10 men after eight minutes against bogey side Gladbach, when France defender Dayot Upamecano was ruled to have brought down a charging Alassane Plea on the edge of the box.

Replays showed minimal contact, although the decision survived a subsequent video review.

“Emotions are a part of sport,” Nagelsmann told reporters. “However I must apologise for my choice of words against the match official team of (referee) Tobias Welz.

“Unfortunately, I clearly went too far.”

Journalists outside the room heard Nagelsmann say “that’s a joke, they’re taking the piss”, leaving the room calling the officials “spineless”.

Speaking with German television channel Sky after the match, Nagelsmann – who had approached the referees on the pitch – complained “nobody can explain to me (why) that was a red card”.

The loss, just Bayern’s second of the season in all competitions, cemented Gladbach’s status as Munich’s bogey side.

The German champions have beaten Gladbach just once in their past seven meetings. 

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig won their first match in three games with a 3-0 victory at Wolfsburg, ahead of Wednesday’s home Champions League clash with Man City. 

With 14 minutes gone, Emil Forsberg punted Leipzig into the lead, taking advantage of Wolfsburg’s failure to clear a dangerous ball on the edge of the box. 

Leipzig’s top scorer Christopher Nkunku, returning from an injury which ruled him out of France’s Qatar World Cup campaign, set up his side’s second for Konrad Laimer in the 85th minute.

Dominik Szoboszlai scored his side’s third in injury time, extending Wolfsburg’s winless run to five games.

In Spain, Fede Valverde and Marco Asensio scored as Real Madrid struggled to beat Osasuna 2-0 in La Liga, just three days before they head to Liverpool in the Champions League.

Uruguay midfielder Valverde and Spain winger Asensio netted in the final quarter of an hour in Pamplona to cut Barcelona’s advantage to five points at the top of the table before the Catalans host lowly Cadiz on Sunday.

Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema was missing from Real’s matchday squad as coach Carlo Ancelotti rested the France attacker ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg at Anfield.

Meanwhile in Italy, Inter Milan made sure the gap separating them from runaway Serie A leaders Napoli stayed at 15 points with a 3-1 success over Udinese on Saturday.

Romelu Lukaku, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lautaro Martinez all scored in a hard-fought win against ninth-placed Udinese, who have won only once in their last 15 league matches.

Simone Inzaghi’s side stay second and are three points ahead of local rivals AC Milan, who beat Monza 1-0 earlier on Saturday, but are a long way behind rampant Napoli after their 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Friday.

– © AFP 2023

Updated at 22.25 with results from Spain and Italy 

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