Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 draw against Wolfsburg was interrupted several times as fans across Germany continue to protest against the DFL’s investor deal. Speaking after the game, via Ruhr Nachrichten, BVB captain Emre Can and Niclas Füllkrug commented on the protests.
Niclas Füllkrug: “It’s really difficult because you keep having these interruptions. A solution must be found as quickly as possible because things can’t continue like this. I don’t want to comment on what solutions there are.”
Emre Can: “We players have to accept these interruptions, even if it’s not easy. Without fans, football wouldn’t be what it is. But if I can honestly express my opinion, I think it’s a good thing at some point but I hope it comes to an end at some point. We suffer extremely from it and lose our rhythm.”
As reported on Get German Football News last week, the agreement to enter into negotiations with a “strategic partner” from the private equity sector in a bid to boost the value of its international broadcasting rights was narrowly passed after 24 of the 36 clubs which make up the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 voted in favour of handing DFL co-CEOs Steffen Merkel and Marc Lenz a mandate to negotiate a deal which could see up to €1 billion ($1.08 billion) of investment in return for an 8% share of TV rights revenues over a period of 20 years.
Fans across Germany have continued to protest in ingenious ways. In the 2. Bundesliga game between Hansa Rostock and Hamburg, fans attached smoke bombs to remote controlled cars, while tennis balls and chocolate coins have been used throughout Germany for the last week.
From chocolate coins to tennis balls, and now remote controlled cars with smoke bombs attached. Fans across Germany continue to protest against the DFL’s investor deal. [📽️ @SkyFootball]pic.twitter.com/wbEhYTqGEm
— Get German Football News (@GGFN_) February 17, 2024
Speaking on the protests, Dortmund Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl added: “The interruptions in the game were of course an issue for us, but we are trying to classify it. It wouldn’t have made sense the leave the pitch. The protests would have continued anyway.
“However, it is simply not conductive to the rhythm of the game. In the end, everyone is allowed to express their opinion, but at some point we have to get to a point where we have to find a solution.”
GGFN | Daniel Pinder
