Matthias Ginter helps out as a referee in the district league B

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On Saturday Matthias Ginter (right in the foreground) was still playing in the Bundesliga, the next day he was refereeing in the district league

Photo: Christian Kaspar-Bartke / Getty Images

One day after the 2-1 Bundesliga victory of his SC Freiburg against FSV Mainz, national soccer player Matthias Ginter faced a test of a completely different kind: the defender helped out as a referee in district league B and led the game between the second teams of the Bundesliga SC March and SV Burkheim.

The encounter took place in the Matthias-Ginter-Sportpark, which Ginter's youth club SC March had named after the professional.

The 28-year-old, who worked for SC from 1998 to 2005, brought his former club luck: the Marchers won the game 6-1 with the prominent referee.

There was a risk of game failure, so Ginter stepped in

The unusual use came from a lack of staff: In the second lowest league in the Freiburg district, the clubs have to provide the referees themselves.

Marcher sports director Marc Friedrich told the "kicker": "We didn't have a referee on Saturday and were therefore absolutely in an emergency because everyone we had asked had canceled.

If we hadn't been able to provide a referee, we would have had to cancel the game."

Among other things, Friedrich asked his close friend and best man Ginter for help.

"Matze agreed immediately," says Friedrich.

A referee team made up of friends

Sandro Rautenberg (SC Bahlingen) and Marvin Baumer (VfR Hausen) acted as line judges.

Both are also ex-soccer players from SC March and friends of Ginter.

On Thursday, however, the 46-time German national player will return to his usual activities: Freiburg will then play against French representatives FC Nantes in the Europa League (9 p.m. / TV: RTL +).

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