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Mainz VAR penalty madness: Chaos in Germany as Freiburg handball given DURING half time
MAINZ’s Bundesliga clash with Freiburg has been thrown into chaos on Monday night after a freak VAR decision DURING half time - and then a massive fan protest.
Mainz star Pablo de Blasis scored from the spot after the VAR confusion
Mainz had penalty appeal for handball denied them just seconds before the halftime whistle, with the scores locked at 0-0.
Both sets of players went off the field for the break - only to be called back on following a VAR decision.
It has emerged the video referee spotted a handball in the dying stages of the first half - but the decision was only given after the whistle.
The Freiburg players had to be called out of their dressing room and back onto the pitch so Mainz could take their penalty.
Only then - seven minutes into first-half stoppage time - was the spot-kick taken and then the whistle blown for the break.
Mainz wait for the Freiburg players to return from their dressing room
Freiburg's players finally return to the field
The Freiburg players challenge referee Guido Winkmann
Pablo de Blasis stroked home for the hosts, who seemed as nonplussed about the incident as their visitors.
And the decision baffled many fans on social
One fan wrote on twitter: “This VAR is becoming stupid. Imagine going in for halftime only to be recalled back for penalty. Why not blow immediately? Mainz vs Freiburg”
Another put: “VAR in its current form is really really s***, watching Mainz vs Freiburg and I'm glad EPL teams voted against it for the 2018/2019 season.”
And a third said: “Mainz v Freiburg has just killed VAR. May it never darken our door again.”
The referee had called the players back onto the pitch following a VAR decision
Mainz fans protest against Monday night football
Die Reinigungskräfte haben nach der Pause alle Hände voll zu tun #m05scf #mainz05 pic.twitter.com/i03Vfd5k1j
— Michael Ebert (@michael60318) April 16, 2018
But the fun didn’t stop there, as the start of the second half was also halted due to a fan protest in the Mainz end.
Supporters threw streams of toilet roll onto the pitch in a protest against the Bundesliga staging Monday night football games.
And stewards were immediately on hand to clean up the paper before the match could continue.