Play halted twice and teams led into changing rooms; German FA to open investigation into the incident on Monday, but result will stand; Elsewhere, Jadon Sancho scores again for Dortmund
Sunday 1 March 2020 07:08, UK
Bayern Munich's 6-0 win at Hoffenheim ended in bizarre fashion on Saturday when both teams played keep-ball as a protest after travelling fans unfurled an offensive banner aimed at the Hoffenheim owner.
The Bundesliga leaders were cruising to their ninth win in their last 10 league games at the PreZero Arena when the away section displayed a banner insulting Dietmar Hopp in the 67th minute.
It was put away after Bayern players, coaches and staff hurried over to the away section to plead with their fans, but was then rolled out again 10 minutes later as the same Bayern contingent confronted the travelling fans once more.
Referee Bastian Dankert stopped play for five minutes and sent both teams to the changing rooms as part of the second step of the German FA's three-stage protocol for an official break in play, with the game in serious risk of abandonment had the banner been displayed a third time.
The clash ended in farcical scenes as both sets of players agreed to pass the ball between each other for the remaining 13 minutes as the clock ticked down in support of Hopp - who watched on from the stands and received an immediate apology from Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
According to Sky in Germany, the control committee of the German Football Association (DFB) will open an investigation into the incident early next week - but the result will stand as the match was effectively completed.
The Hoffenheim owner is a divisive figure in German football, having bankrolled the club from the fifth tier up to the Bundesliga and being an exception to the 50+1 rule stating fans must own the majority of their club's shares.
A few Bundesliga club fanbases showed hostility to Hopp, with a similar incident occurring last weekend during Hoffenheim's game at Borussia Monchengladbach, with home fans forced to remove banners against him.
Borussia Dortmund fans also staged a tifo depicting the Hoffenheim owner in crosshairs earlier this month, leading to Dortmund fans being banned in Hoffenheim for two seasons and the club receiving a €50,000 fine.
Goals from Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Joshua Zirkzee, Philippe Coutinho (2) and Leon Goretzka took Bayern four points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig at the top of the Bundesliga and inflicted Hoffenheim their biggest home league defeat in their history.
Speaking to Sky in Germany after the game, Rummenigge could not hide his anger and criticised the Bayern fans that took part in the attack on his Hoffenheim counterpart.
"As a representative of FC Bayern, I feel deeply ashamed of these hooligans," Rummenigge said. "I can only say one thing - today the moment has come for the entire Bundesliga, DFB and DFL to take joint action against these hooligans.
"It's the ugly side of football, I feel deeply ashamed. I have apologised to Dietmar Hopp, who is a man of honour and has positively shaped sport in this entire region, but actually there is no apology for what happened in the stands today.
"It's the ugliest side of Bayern Munich. And it was during a fantastic display from our team, which ended this way. It's unforgivable.
"Let me be clear, we had all the events filmed. We will take severe action against all those who have discredited FC Bayern today. They will face the consequences."
Asked if Bundesliga clubs could take similar action against other issues like racism and homophobia in the future, Rummenigge conceded it is time for football clubs to take matters in their own hands.
"We've stood idly by for too long and ignored what goes on in many if not all of the stadiums," he said. "We've allowed far too much, but from today we have to rethink.
"I think we simply have to take intelligent, clear and decisive action using all our power. I think it is good that the game was played in this way at the very end. It was a slap in the face for Bayern Munich supporters!
"I'm convinced that this day will mark a moment of re-thinking in this country. After the way that they've behaved today these people should no longer be at football grounds. In any ground at all!"
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund needed a goal from in-form Jadon Sancho to beat Freiburg 1-0 after a lacklustre performance.
Sancho's 15th-minute goal proved the decisive moment as chances for the hosts were few and far between.
The 19-year-old, who has also 14 assists to his name, scored for the seventh consecutive league home game and has netted 14 times in the Bundesliga this season.
Dortmund are third on 48 points, level on points with second-placed RB Leipzig, who host Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
