In a game shortly before it was canceled due to massive fan protests, 1. FC Union Berlin achieved an important victory in the fight against relegation. During Nenad Bjelica's comeback to the coaching bench after his suspension, the Iron Men defeated coach Niko Kovac's VfL Wolfsburg, who were still winless this year, 1-0 (1-0) on a long afternoon in the An der Alten Försterei stadium.
“Everyone has their point of view,” said Robin Knoche. The Union defender did not want to comment on the protests, only said with a smile: “I still need a few tennis balls, I'll take them with me.”
The game was interrupted for a total of over 30 minutes after tennis balls were thrown by fans from both camps. The background is the resistance against the investor plans of the German Football League. The goal was scored by Danilho Doekhi (45th + 25th). In the table, the Union team, in 15th place in the Bundesliga, increased their lead over 1. FC Köln in the relegation spot to six points. The Rhinelanders have to play at VfB Stuttgart this Sunday.
It could have been a game with so many stories: Bjelica's return, the Union team's reunion with new VfL striker Kevin Behrens, the Iron team's search for a right defender after three personnel shortages for the position. But it was primarily an afternoon of protest.
“The message was received very, very clearly,” emphasized stadium spokesman Christian Arbeit, who is also the Berliners’ head of communications, via the outside microphone. In another announcement he said: “We are so, so close to not being able to continue playing this game.”
No flow of the game
The protest began at kick-off. The Union fans loudly shouted the obligatory “Football God” at the introduction of Bjelica, who had grabbed Leroy Sané twice in the face in the catch-up game at FC Bayern and was sanctioned for it by the DFB, but also by Union.
Both fan groups directed themselves against the DFL with banners and shouts. Jonas Wind had the first chance for the guests on the pitch, but he couldn't get the ball past goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow from close range. On the other side, Kevin Volland had the hosts' first opportunity.
There was no flow of the game. After a good 26 minutes, the first tennis balls flew onto the lawn. When referee Matthias Jöllenbeck whistled the game again after a good eleven minutes because he believed the situation had calmed down, more yellow felt balls landed on the pitch. He sent both teams into the dressing room, the fans first chanted “Tennis balls are not a crime” and then: “Goodbye”.
The fans underlined their position with further banners such as “Private equity locusts without influence?” or “DFL-certified investors: financed by Saudi blood money”. As if nothing had happened, they started chanting as the game resumed. But shortly afterwards the tennis balls flew from the ranks of the Wolfsburg fans. Another short break.
Wöllenbeck then whistled for the final attempt – with added time in the first half alone of almost 30 minutes. The fact that the advanced Doekhi scored the Union goal after a corner also increased hopes of a regular end to the game. “In general, I see it this way: a protest should hurt, because otherwise you won't see or hear it. Of course it’s not ideal from the player’s point of view, we’re leading, so I’m taking something positive out of it,” said Union captain Christopher Trimmel, who was banned from red, on Sky.
The Wolfsburg team was still pushing for an equalizer, but Wind tested Rönnow again with a header (63'). Ultimately, Lower Saxony has been waiting for their next win in the league since the 1-0 win against SV Darmstadt on December 16th. All four of VfL's games before the Union game ended in a draw.
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