In the aftermath of Bayern’s 1-1 draw with PSG, which resulted in a 6-5 aggregate elimination of the Bundesliga champions, the club's CEO questioned why Joao Pinheiro, a referee with limited experience at the highest level of European knockout football, was appointed for such a high-stakes fixture. Dreesen pointed to the 38-year-old’s CV as a potential reason for the inconsistencies seen on the pitch.
"It is at least astonishing that a referee who has never officiated a semi-final before and who only has 15 Champions League games on his record is officiating a semi-final. That is unusual and perhaps that also explains some of the decision," he toldBILD.
Prior to the semi-final clash, Pinheiro's most prominent fixture in the competition being a round of 16 first leg between Club Brugge and Aston Villa last season. While the Portuguese official’s biggest previous overall assignment had been the UEFA Super Cup final, the jump to a tie between two European heavyweights proved to be a major talking point.