Calls for video replay intensify after Real Madrid knocks out Bayern

Players' and coaches' demands for video assistant referees (VAR) escalated after Bayern Munich found itself on the wrong end of a trio of decisive calls that led to its elimination at the hands of Real Madrid on Tuesday.

The first controversial call resulted in Bayern going a man down during the Champions League quarter-final encounter when Arturo Vidal was adjudged to have fouled Casemiro, with replays of the incident revealing that the Chilean executed a clean tackle to dispossess the Real Madrid defender.

The tide continued to go against the visitors in extra time, as Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a pair of goals to put Real out front and appeared to be offside on both.

Despite the immense challenge Bayern faced after dropping the first leg 2-1 at home, manager Carlo Ancelotti felt his side was well positioned to secure a positive result until circumstances out of his control led to Real Madrid's 4-2 triumph.

"Arturo was not a (second) yellow and two Cristiano goals offside," he told reporters after the match, according to ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan. "In quarter-finals you must have better ref or VAR, as (there were) too many mistakes ...

"The game we set up very well, played very well. I believe we deserved more. Decisions have hurt us a lot ...

"If the ref does not make mistakes, then nobody knows what would happen, but they were clear mistakes."

Ancelotti added that, in many instances, there's ambiguity with decisions made by the officiating staff, but the naked eye should have sufficed during the incidents in question.

"Often there is doubt, but there was no doubt here," he said. "I didn't need video to see Vidal played the ball.

"I spoke to the referee after the game. I told him 'good job.'"

Vidal, meanwhile, was disgusted with the match officials' display, insisting that such decisions should have no place when two of the world's elite football clubs clash.

"When two big teams meet like this in the Champions League, such a robbery cannot happen," Vidal said.

"When Madrid got scared, the referee began his show."

Thiago Alcantara admitted that he's against the implementation of VAR, but echoed the sentiments of his manager in condemning the costly decisions at the Santiago Bernabeu that cost Bayern.

"I do not really like VAR as it takes away essence of football," the Bayern midfielder said. "But today we were screwed by ref mistakes."

While a majority of the complaints have stemmed from the calls against the visitors, manager Zinedine Zidane contested that Real Madrid was also the victim of a poor decision when Vidal crept offside ahead of a penalty decision that went in Bayern's favour.

"They have told me their second goal was also offside," Zidane said. "It goes both ways, that is football."

"More than the second yellow, or the offside goals, the six goals we scored over the two games we deserved to go through in the tie"

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)