Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann got into a heated argument with fans in the stands after VfL lost 3-2 at home to VfB Stuttgart. The 34-year-old had been insulted and didn’t want to put up with it. Riemann went head to head with a fan before being pulled away.
“I joined later,” said Bochum’s striker Philipp Hofmann, describing his view of the situation. “I wanted to bring the boys back a bit, because that’s just not right, because we still have everything in our own hands.” Hofmann added: “It’s no use being abusive or insulting yourself.”
According to his own statements, VfL trainer Thomas Letsch was already in the catacombs of the Ruhr Stadium at the time. “I heard everything possible: that he was insulted, also that he was physically attacked,” said the 54-year-old. “I can’t evaluate it exactly because I haven’t seen the situation and haven’t spoken to anyone involved. But the fact is: if it gets physical, then it doesn’t work at all.”
Letsch added: “But we don’t have to be personally insulted if something goes wrong. Violence has no place on the football field. We don’t need verbal violence either.” The coach also said: “I think anyway, when we think about society, there’s far too much going on in that regard. That’s why we don’t need it in the stadium. That has no place here.”
After the defeat, Bochum is back in the relegation battle of the Bundesliga and is only three points ahead of Stuttgart.