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Did not agree with the referee: Lukas Podolski in Gummersbach
Photo: IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Meusel / IMAGO/Beautiful Sports
Lukas Podolski always wants to win.
Also a fun tournament during the winter break.
This was evident on Sunday at the "Schauinsland Reisen Cup" in the Schwalbe Arena in Gummersbach.
Six teams took part, Hamburger SV, Karlsruher SC, Rot-Weiss Essen, Blau-Weiss Lohne, 1. FC Kaan-Marienborn and Podolskis Klub Górnik Zabrze.
Emotions ran high in the semi-final between Zabrze and Essen, and the referee handed out a number of time penalties when the score was 2:2, including for Podolski.
The 2014 world champion should not have liked that at all.
According to a report by "Bild", Podolski was said to have been so angry that he harassed and insulted the referee.
He received a red card for that.
The "WAZ" reports that Podolski's manager Markus Krampe is said to have insulted the referee.
Zabrze was eliminated after a 2:3 draw against Essen, which also won the title in the final after beating Kaan-Marienborn 8:3.
HSV rotated a lot and failed early on.
The dismissal was not the only excitement about the former national player Podolski.
Already in the game against HSV he is said to have badly fouled defender Valon Zumberi.
After a dispute on the pitch, however, tempers calmed down again, Podolski apologized for his foul play in the dressing room after the game, writes "Bild".
Podolski not only played at the tournament, but also acted as a patron.
The proceeds of around two million euros are to be donated to a good cause.
The 37-year-old Podolski has been playing in Zabrze since 2021.
His career began at 1. FC Köln, later he played for FC Bayern, FC Arsenal and Inter Milan.
He was a top performer in the DFB selection for years, but he was only one of the backup players for the World Cup triumph in Brazil.
In 2016 he retired from the national team.
He scored 48 goals in 129 international matches.
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