They may have salvaged a dramatic 3-3 draw against Ajax in their final Champions League group match, but Bayern Munich had to muddle through the final stages of the game with 10 men after losing Thomas Muller to a straight red card.
The forward was dismissed in fairly uncontroversial circumstances when, in attempting to bring down a high ball, he inadvertently planted his studs into the head of Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico.
Muller was dismissed for his clumsy assault and Tagliafico eventually managed to shake off the double-vision in time to score Ajax’s 95th-minute equaliser.
The following day, he posted a contrite tweet which said: ”I would like to apologise to Nico Tagliafico for yesterday’s incident. It was unintentional. Get well soon.”
Auf diesem Wege möchte ich mich bei Nico Tagliafico für den gestrigen Vorfall entschuldigen. Das war keine Absicht. Gute Besserung 👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/TsMcOxdlpi
— Thomas Müller (@esmuellert_) December 13, 2018
However, it has since been pointed out that the high boot might actually have been a rather tasteful homage, made on a European night, to his beloved domestic league.
Thomas Muller sent off for showing his admiration to the Bundesliga logo #gamesgone 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/itAksFnMQ1
— John Kennedy (@johnk_88) 12 December 2018
We’re not entirely certain that theory has any grounding in fact, but we can definitely see the similarity.
Whatever next — Harry Kane paying homage to the Premier League badge by donning a lion’s head?