League before scandal weekend?
Rostock fans escalate DFL investor dispute to the brink
December 15, 2023, 8:56 p.m
The 2nd Bundesliga game between SC Paderborn and Hansa Rostock is interrupted twice. The Kogge fans are brutally expressing their displeasure with the DFL investor deal. They throw pyrotechnics onto the field. The game is about to be abandoned. The league is expecting a hot weekend.
Once again unpleasant actions in the 2nd Bundesliga: As was the case last week, Hansa Rostock’s game at SC Paderborn was overshadowed by turmoil in the stands; after several interruptions, the game was now on the verge of being abandoned. Ultimately, Paderborn prevailed 3-0 (1-0), and things are not going well for the Kogge even after the dismissal of coach Alois Schwartz.
In Paderborn, strikers Adriano Grimaldi (25th), Raphael Obermair (67th) and Kai Klefisch (75th) scored the SCP’s goals, while Hansa keeper Markus Kolke was shown red for an emergency brake (63rd) according to video evidence. The game, in which interim coach Uwe Speidel sat on the Hansa bench, once again became a marginal event.
Initially, the fans of both clubs were silent for twelve minutes in response to the decision to invest in the German Football League (DFL), then the Hansa supporters went over the top again. Flares flew into the center circle of the field, accompanied by shouts of “Shit DFL!”
Game was about to be canceled
Referee Wolfgang Haslberger (St. Wolfgang) immediately interrupted the game, sent the teams to the dressing room and only allowed the game to continue after an eight-minute break. Last week, in Rostock’s home game against Schalke 04 (0-2), fans of both clubs caused an interruption of more than 25 minutes due to commotion in the stands.
When the ball rolled again, Paderborn were immediately better. Klefisch took a defended ball volley from the edge of the penalty area and hit the crossbar (20th). A short time later, another rebound from a corner landed at Grimaldi, who shot in from around seven meters.
Things continued badly in the second half, with referee Haslberger interrupting the game again due to pyrotechnics in the visitors’ block (56′), this time for a full 19 minutes. According to information from the TV channel Sky, the police discussed with the referees about abandoning the game.
This did not follow, but the sporting decision went in favor of the Paderborn team. Rostock goalkeeper Markus Kolke fouled Ansah shortly before the penalty area, Haslberger gave a penalty and a yellow card, revised his decision after VAR intervention and corrected to a free kick plus a dismissal for Kolke (63′). Substitute Nils Körber let the subsequent free kick bounce and Obermair scooped it up. The Kogge was knocked out, Klefisch made the decision with a header from a corner.
Interruption also in Gladbach
At the general meeting on Monday, the DFL received a mandate from the professional clubs to begin concrete negotiations with a strategic marketing partner. A financial investor should pay up to one billion euros for a percentage share of the TV revenue. The contract should have a maximum term of 20 years. This agreement is not well received by many fans.
That’s why the fan scene announced a twelve-minute boycott in the stadiums this weekend. “We will pool our resources collectively in the fight against the DFL’s greed and arbitrariness. The league’s managing directors could still stop the disastrous investment project. We will keep a close eye on this path!”, it said in a statement.
Later in the evening, the Bundesliga game between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Werder Bremen was briefly interrupted. After twelve minutes, both fan camps ended their previously demonstrative silence by shouting “Shitty DFL” and throwing imitation coins onto the field. The game was stopped for a few minutes to clear the lawn of coins.