Head injury in Wolfsburg
Unusual Bundesliga debut: State league goalkeeper steps in for injured linesman
Assistant referee Thorben Siewer had to be treated after a direct hit in the face.
© Swen Pförtner / DPA
Because the linesman was injured and was replaced by the fourth official, VfL Wolfsburg had to play against 1. FC in the Bundesliga game. Cologne the referee team will be completed. Help came from the stands.
Line judge Thorben Siewer was replaced injured in the Bundesliga game between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Köln. Because the referee subsequently had to be represented by the fourth official, Nicolas Winter, a spectator from the stands took over Winter’s role between the two coaches’ benches. The man with a referee license was searched for and found via a stadium announcement.
Attempted clarification lands right in the linesman’s face
What happened? During a Wolfsburg attack in the 14th minute, Cologne defender Max Finkgräfe shot the ball into touch and unintentionally hit the linesman in the face during this attempt to clear the ball from close range. Siewer was first treated and then taken to the referee’s cabin. His colleague Winter took over his job.
When the stadium announcer made a loudspeaker announcement looking for a representative for Winter, 32-year-old Tobias Krull, who works as a goalkeeper and sporting director for Wolfsburg’s neighboring club MTV Gifhorn in the regional soccer league, answered. Krull played for him in his youth VfL Wolfsburg and has a referee license.