Bayern match halted after chants aimed at Hoffenheim owner
Insults aimed at Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp saw Bayern Munich's dominant display interrupted on Saturday.
Bayern Munich were hammering Hoffenheim 6-0 when the Bundesliga match was halted in the second half due to insulting chants and banners aimed at Dietmar Hopp.
Hoffenheim-Bayern stopped for a few minutes with Bayern 6-0 up as fans in the away block unfurl a banner.
— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) February 29, 2020
“Dietmar Hopp [TSG owner] remains a son of a whore.”
Bayern players run over telling them to stop. So does coach Hansi Flick, shouting at the fans, furiously gesticulating. pic.twitter.com/klFYgzsu4q
With Bayern coasting to victory in a dominant display, referee Christian Dingert paused the match as a banner was unfurled in the away end.
Borussia Dortmund fans were previously banned from matches at Rhein-Neckar-Arena for a similar protest against Hoffenheim owner Hopp, an unpopular figure among some German football fans due to his financing of the club.
Bayern players entered the stands to implore the supporters to remove the banner, with head coach Hansi Flick racing across the pitch to join his team.
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The banner was initially removed and the chanting paused, but the insults resumed and official Dingert directed the players back to the dressing rooms.
When both sides finally returned to the field of play they simply passed the ball about to run down the clock. Their own form of protest at the protest.