“Incomprehensible nonsense”
Firecracker explosion causes injuries during Bundesliga game
November 11, 2023, 7:29 p.m
During the Bundesliga game between Augsburg and Hoffenheim, a firecracker flies out of the visitors’ block and explodes. Several people are slightly injured and the game has to be interrupted. The officials find drastic words.
According to initial findings, several people were slightly injured when a firecracker exploded during FC Augsburg’s Bundesliga game against TSG Hoffenheim. The firecracker was thrown from the Hoffenheim fan block and exploded loudly near the corner flag. “It’s unbelievable nonsense,” said TSG sports director Alexander Rosen after the 1-1 draw. According to FCA managing director Michael Ströll, one person suffered a blast. “A perpetrator is visible in the video images,” he said, adding that the police were conducting an interrogation. “You have to punish this severely,” said FCA sports director Marinko Jurendic, referring to the perpetrator.
Referee Felix Brych interrupted the game for around five minutes because of the incident in the 57th minute. According to his own statement, Brych has “never” experienced such an incident. “I have never heard such a loud bang in a football stadium,” said the referee. “I said clearly that if something like that happens again, we have to leave the field,” said Brych about the minutes after the incident and referred to the German Football Association’s so-called three-stage plan, which envisages abandoning the game as the final reaction.
“I was already thinking about what would happen to the people who were nearby and had to endure this bang. Of course, if it had been worse, we would have had to take other measures,” said Brych. The decision to continue playing was made “in conjunction with everyone involved”. As a result, he had to be particularly attentive. “How do the players react, does it get hectic? Are they so affected that they can no longer play properly?” said Brych. “Of course I also looked at what was happening in the stands.”
The referee was expressly praised for his actions by those responsible for both clubs: “It was excellent how the referee reacted. Calmly and calmly,” said Rosen. “It’s a disaster, it has no place in a football stadium.” Ströll also gave a “big compliment” to Brych – and to Rosen, who went to the Hoffenheim fan block immediately after the incident.