Referee Glenn Nyberg was right to dismiss Daniel Svensson during Tottenham’s victory over Borussia Dortmund.
That is the view of former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett, who told Football Insider that the Dortmund defender fully deserved a red card for his studs-up challenge on Wilson Odobert.
The decision came just days after Diogo Dalot avoided a red card against Manchester City. Former Spurs defender Michael Dawson noted that while Svensson’s tackle “wasn’t as bad,” it was still always likely to result in a sending-off.
With Thomas Frank under intense pressure at Tottenham, the win on Tuesday, 20 January, was vital. The Spurs boss would have been delighted when Dortmund were reduced to 10 men. Tottenham took full advantage, having already gone ahead through Cristian Romero before Dominic Solanke doubled the lead before half-time.
Svensson was initially shown a yellow card for his late challenge, but following a swift VAR review, the 23-year-old was sent off, much to the frustration of the travelling supporters. Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett praised the officials, saying: “It’s good to see the laws applied correctly. This was serious foul play, and that makes it a red card.”
Given Hackett’s frequent criticism of Premier League refereeing and VAR this season, he welcomed the clarity and decisiveness shown in Europe. The contrast has only intensified debate around Dalot’s challenge, especially after Howard Webb defended the decision not to send him off, highlighting differences between officiating in England and Europe.
Michael Dawson said he was convinced a red card was coming at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium once VAR intervened. Speaking on Sky Sports, he explained that the slowed-down replay showed a very high challenge. Although Svensson did not intend to injure Odobert, Dawson stressed that endangering an opponent inevitably leads to a red card. While he felt the tackle was less severe than Dalot’s, he agreed it still warranted dismissal.
Ultimately, fans are demanding consistency — something European competitions appear to deliver more reliably than the Premier League, where recent explanations from officials have done little to inspire confidence.
