Joachim Andersen breaks his silence with furious rant after VAR controversy helps Germany beat Denmark at Euro 2024

Joachim Andersen launched into a furious rant after two VAR decisions went against him as Germany beat Denmark at Euro 2024.

On Saturday evening Germany booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 with a 2-0 win against Denmark in the round-of-16.

A Kai Havertz penalty and a superb solo goal from Jamal Musiala saw the tournament hosts to victory, but neither goal was the main talking point of the night.

Denmark thought they had taken the lead early in the second half when Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen fired past Manuel Neuer from inside the penalty area.

Andersen was penalised for handball (ITV)

Andersen was penalised for handball (ITV)

However, the goal was chalked off after VAR and the semi-automated offside system showed that part of Thomas Delaney’s foot was offside when he set-up Andersen to shoot.

Minutes later, Andersen was then penalised in his own 18-yard box when David Raum’s cross brushed the defender’s fingers.

Referee Michael Oliver’s on-field decision was ‘no penalty’, but after he was advised to review the incident using the pitch-side monitor the English official awarded a spot-kick, which Havertz converted.

It was a tough few minutes for Andersen, and after the match he made his feelings about the two incidents abundantly clear.

“It was crazy and not a penalty at all. I can’t run around with my arms behind my back and play football,” the defender told TV2.

“He’s [Raum] half a metre away from me and hits the ball on my hand, so I can’t see what I could do to prevent it.”

Andersen then addressed his disallowed goal, which would have been his first goal for Denmark.

Joachim Andersen was left fuming with VAR. [Getty]

Joachim Andersen was left fuming with VAR. [Getty]

“The offside call is also difficult to see. It’s so minimal that you really have to look for it. But the handball call is the craziest I’ve ever seen.

“Margins decided the game. If our goal had been allowed, I’m convinced we would have won the game.”

When asked if he had spoken to referee Oliver about the incidents, Andersen said: “You can’t speak to the referees nowadays.”

Andersen’s thoughts were echoed by Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, who covered the match as a pundit for ITV.

The Australian coach is a vocal critic of VAR, and he didn’t miss the opportunity to slam the use of technology in football.

“If I hear one more person say, they’re [VAR] not re-refereeing the game, I will blow up,” Postecoglou said.

“Seriously, that is exactly what they do. That is not why we brought in technology, for that decision, that decision to me is quite an easy one.”

Germany will face either Spain or Georgia in the quarter-finals in Stuttgart on July 5.

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