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Fürth coach Alexander Zorniger: “It can’t continue like this”

Photo: Swen Pförtner/dpa

Alexander Zorniger from SpVgg Greuther Fürth has criticized the ongoing fan protests in German professional football more clearly than any active first or second division coach before him. “The fan groups are currently playing their own game,” he said on Friday evening after his team’s 2-1 defeat at Hannover 96 in the 2nd Bundesliga. »They lead the referees, the DFL, the teams, everyone through the ring by the nose ring. And no one intervenes.”

Because of the protests against the planned investment of investors in the German Football League (DFL), the game in Hanover was interrupted for a total of more than 20 minutes. According to referee Patrick Ittrich, the game almost came to an end. Hannover 96 fans repeatedly threw tennis balls onto the pitch. (Read more about the background to the protests and the special role of Hannover 96 here.)

»I find it unspeakable when it is repeatedly suggested that the fans are the heart of the game. The only group without whom you can’t play a game are the footballers themselves,” said Zorniger. The fans are the soul, but "not the heart of the game." »Non-professional athlete can't imagine the impact it has when you keep starting and stopping again and again. That doesn't work. It can not go on like that."

Referee Ittrich calls for talks

Fellow coach Stefan Leitl from Hannover 96 agreed with Zorniger. »The game belongs to the players. People come to the stadium because of the players. They want to see a football game,” he said. “We need a solution as quickly as possible.”

Referee Ittrich also emphasized after the game that something had to happen urgently. "Everyone has to come together and discuss something sensible with everyone so that we can play football for 90 minutes straight at some point," he said in an interview with the TV channel Sky. "There is great dissatisfaction and things cannot continue like this."

Early half-time break at Hertha BSC

In Berlin, the game between Hertha BSC and 1. FC Magdeburg was also delayed due to protests. After tennis balls flew onto the field again shortly before the end of the first half, referee Florian Exner decided on a pragmatic solution and ended the first round prematurely after a six-minute interruption.

“We have the opportunity to bring the half forward in the event of serious injuries or a scenario like today,” said the 33-year-old from Münster after Hertha’s 3-2 win. A measure that can only be taken in certain cases. »Of course that only works if it happens at the end of the first half. We can’t send the players on break after 25 minutes of play.”

mlb/dpa