Referee Daniel Siebert, who oversaw the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, clarified the decision to rescind Victor Boniface's red card after a VAR review at Signal Iduna Park.
Despite Borussia Dortmund's lead, Bayer Leverkusen's newly crowned champions maintained their unbeaten streak of 45 games across all competitions, securing a 1-1 draw.
Niclas Füllkrug broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute, but Bayer Leverkusen salvaged a point with Josip Stanisic's stoppage-time equalizer.
Following Dortmund's goal, manager Xabi Alonso brought on Victor Boniface as a substitute for Piero Hincapié, only for Boniface to face a red card controversy in the 89th minute.
Initially shown a red card by Siebert for alleged misconduct, Boniface's dismissal was overturned after VAR consultation, with Granit Xhaka receiving a yellow card instead for unsportsmanlike behavior.
Jeremie Frimpong and Nico Schlotterbeck also received yellow cards for their involvement in the altercation.
Siebert, quoted by spox.com, explained the decision: "It was in my back. The assistant informed me that Boniface had grabbed and pushed his opponent to the ground, prompting us to issue the red card immediately.
“The VAR reviewed all the incidents and concluded that Boniface's actions were not significant.”
Since joining Bayer Leverkusen last summer, Boniface has received three cautions in 29 appearances across all competitions.
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