When he returned, there was a lot going on again!
In November 2022, Hertha goalkeeper Rune Jarstein (39) had to leave the club early after a dispute with some superiors and received a severance payment of 400,000 euros a year later. Shortly afterwards, Jarstein, who played a total of 179 competitive games for the blue-whites from 2014 to 2022, announced the end of his career.
Ex-Hertha goalkeeper Rune Jarstein with a Berlin fan in the East Curve on Saturday evening
But the love for the club and the Olympic Stadium has always remained. Now the Norwegian appeared unexpectedly and unannounced in the Olympic Stadium for the top game on Saturday evening against HSV (1:2) for the first time since the Hertha split 15 months ago.
He was in the German capital with his wife Hanne-Stine and Norwegian friends over the weekend and spontaneously decided to visit his former employer.
The darling of the HerthaFans bought tickets for the East Curve, wore a Hertha scarf around their neck – and experienced the tennis ball scandal in the Olympic Stadium first hand.
Curious: Jarstein stood in the middle of the east curve, from which tennis balls were transported onto the playing field from all areas. Most of the balls were fired from dog slingshots a few meters below Jarstein from the front rows – in protest against the DFL’s investor plans.
Goalkeeper Rune Jarstein (39) visited Hertha BSC for the first time since the separation 15 months ago
The game was interrupted for 32 minutes and the professionals were sent to the dressing rooms. If another ball had flown after the game had resumed, the game would probably have been stopped by referee Daniel Schlager (34/”We definitely weren’t far away from it.”).
BILD Sport from February 4th, 2024 Tennis ball alarm in the TV studio!
Despite the incidents, it was an important evening for the Norwegian – he fulfilled a big wish: after leaving Hertha and ending his career, he really wanted to spend time with the Hertha fans in the Olympic Stadium again.
Jarstein stood with the Berlin supporters not only in the curve, but also in the normal queue for the bratwurst and to go to the toilet. Everything was completely normal – until the tennis ball scandal.
Rune Jarstein played a total of 179 competitive games for Hertha from 2014 to 2022 and was the national goalkeeper for Norway, where he was named Footballer of the Year in 2018
But even this far too long protest campaign by the fans, which will result in a hefty fine from the DFB and further burden Hertha’s empty club coffers, could not spoil Jarstein’s return to the stadium.
Jarstein does not want to comment on the tennis ball incident in the Olympic Stadium, but will definitely come back soon. He reveals: “I will always have a suitcase in Berlin. I wish Hertha and the fans all the best for the future.”