The hatred of individual fans is unbroken - and once again focuses on Dietmar Hopp and the DFB. While Hoffenheim and FC Bayern are sending a remarkable signal on the field, the league is faced with a central question: what's next?
Sinsheim (dpa) - A few hours after the scandal in Sinsheim, DFB boss Fritz Keller announced the end of all compromises in the power struggle with the curve.
"Now it's over, now the limits have to be shown," said the struggling President of the German Football Association on ZDF under the impression of the new hatred against Hoffenheim patron Dietmar Hopp. The hard crackdown with two interruptions at Bayern's guest appearance in Sinsheim, the demonstrative ball attachment of the stars, the protests in other stadiums - the memorable scenes of this matchday have led German football into the next fan crisis. The DFB and the league must now be measured against their sudden hard-hitting strategy - probably already in the cup in the next few days.
The incidents also in Dortmund, Cologne and some second division arenas appeared like a concerted action. FC Bayern even knew in advance of the plans of the Munich fan scene. Afterwards, CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge spoke indignantly of "a black day for football" and emphasized: "It has to stop. I won't duck away anymore with the day. Also at the risk that I will eventually cross the area with bodyguards must run. "
Sinsheim's precedent inevitably raises the question: How much power will individual fans and fan groups have in the Bundesliga in the future? And by what means can they force interruptions or even a game abandonment? The few supporters who place their own goals above what is happening on the lawn now seem to have an additional platform. This could fuel the imagination of further hate posters and further aggravate the conflict.
Rummenigge, DFL boss Christian Seifert and Keller unanimously described the renewed tirades in Bayern's 6-0 win at TSG Hoffenheim as "low point". In the last 13 minutes, both teams only pushed the ball back and forth in protest against the banners.
The attacks of several fan groups directed against collective punishments such as the two-year ban for BVB fans in Sinsheim are not new. What is new is the rigorous handling of the DFB and referee Christian Dingert, who immediately interrupted when the first hate poster appeared in the Bayern block.
Christian Streich, who likes to be socially critical, placed the events in the Sinsheim stadium in a broader context. "What has happened in this country in the past ten months, in terms of agitation, attacks on politicians, on Jewish institutions and now on a Turkish shisha bar, is extremely dangerous," said the coach of SC Freiburg, who is based in Dortmund had heard the swaggering chants of BVB fans. "This agitation against people is unacceptable."
DFB boss Keller explained that the three-stage plan with interruption, stadium announcement, sending players into the cabin and, if necessary, abort applied "for hate posters of all kinds, including racism and anti-Semitism".
The Munich and Hoffenheim participants sent a strong signal on Saturday, which met with a lot of praise and approval. Trainer Hansi Flick, board member Oliver Kahn and the professionals around the angry ex-Hoffenheim Serge Gnabry and David Alaba had previously urged the supporters to hang the banner again. Keller congratulated the mediators who "didn't leave the chaot what they wanted to do, namely destroy the game and have power over the game."
The association only reacts late. While in the racist incidents against Hertha's Jordan Torunarigha in the cup match on Schalke was not even interrupted recently, the referee acted consistently and immediately this time. This raises questions for many involved. The DFB also has to accept criticism in the case of Hertha B youth. The juniors had left the pitch closed in February due to racist incidents - the game was then considered a defeat for the Berliners.
The unintelligible Bayern fans called Saturday's interruption "simply excessive and absurd" and prophesied in a message in the evening: "If you want to stop or interrupt football matches in the future, if such insults are expressed in the bleachers, you will not Play more than 90 minutes. " That Dortmund fans and Cologne fans in the evening explicitly vilified the 79-year-old Hopp again could have been a foretaste of the coming weeks.
The billionaire himself only spoke up on Sunday. "I am doing according to the circumstances. I have so much to do, sit at my desk and do my work. Unfortunately, a new dimension has been reached," reported Hopp at Sport1. He "saw and felt the solidarity and it is of course a great help that action is now being taken".
His companion Rummenigge, who had already hugged Hopp in the box, apologized: "I am deeply ashamed of FC Bayern Munich for these chaos. The moment has come when all German football takes a common step against these chaots must, "said the official. The polluters were filmed.
Rummenigge reprimanded the powerful in clubs and associations very explicitly and without exception: "All those responsible in football duck far too often because they believe there is a power in the curve." But this is "a minority, which now has to be pilloried and against which one has to act".
Squad TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Schedule TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Squad FC Bayern
Schedule FC Bayern
Information on bundesliga.de
Bundesliga table
Matchday 24
Südkurve Munich
Explanation on the south curve Munich
Keller interview in the sports studio
Statements Rummenigge on the club's homepage