Red card row: Zlatko Tripic provokes Michael Olise in Bayern duel
While Zlatko Tripic is celebrated in Stavanger as the "King of Stavanger", his red card for Michael Olise at FC Bayern has caused a stir. The incident, which was covered in April in the Stavanger Aftenblad, shows how strong the polarization around the 33‑year‑old left winger is.
Origin of the Controversy
In April, a commentary appeared in the renowned Norwegian regional newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad with the title: "The captain of Viking is not an asshole". In it, Tripic was described as a symbol of the sought‑after winning mentality of the reigning champion Viking Stavanger, which at the time was looking forward to its first Champions League participation since 1992.
The trigger for the commentary was a heated duel between Viking and Valerenga Oslo, which Viking won 1‑0. After the final whistle, Tripic celebrated excessively in front of the opposing bench and was attacked by Valerenga representatives. Tripic received a yellow card, Valerenga's Sebastian Jarl a red – an event that fueled the debate about Tripic's character.
The Incident Against FC Bayern
In the Champions League match against FC Bayern, Tripic annoyed his opponent Michael Olise throughout the entire game. Olise responded by throwing the ball at Tripic's face and was sent off for it. According to sports director Max Eberl, Tripic played "like a bastard".
TV expert Christopher Kramer commented: "The colleague Tripic would have gotten on my nerves eventually. Right at the red card I thought: 'I feel you.'" Tripic himself said he was proud to annoy a "boy from Lyngdal" and had won the duel because he disrupted Olise's focus.
The match ended 3‑3, with Viking scoring the equaliser in the 90th minute and thus securing the first point of this Champions League season – after a 1‑3 defeat to VfB Stuttgart. It was the second participation since 1992/93, when Viking fell in the first round against FC Barcelona.
Tripic, born in Rijeka (Croatia) and raised in Norway, is playing in the Champions League for the first time at 33. His career began at various Norwegian clubs, and in 2015 he moved at 22 to the German 2. Bundesliga club SpVgg Greuther Fürth. There he is remembered for a nightclub altercation in which he suffered a skull fracture.
Since 2018, Tripic has been at Viking, interrupted by a short intermezzo at Göztepe (Turkey). He is the "King of Stavanger", ranking with the fifth‑most appearances, the third‑most goals and the most assists of the club. This season he has, after 28 league games, 23 assists, two of which came against FC Bayern. Notably, he has received only one red card in 436 league games – the same number as Olise – and is therefore rarely punished.