While Borussia Dortmund’s management is trying to take the emotions out of the excitement about referee decisions at the Bundesliga game in Bochum, the game is not over for the referee.
The huge anger about the “negligent” mistake from BVB’s point of view in the 1-1 draw in the Bundesliga at VfL Bochum is far from gone, but Borussia Dortmund is trying to draw a line under the emotional referee discussion.
“That was definitely awesome, but now it has to be good, too,” said BVB Managing Director Hans-Joachim Watzke on Sunday (April 30, 2023). This does not yet apply to referee Sascha Stegemann. On the TV station “Sport 1” he reported serious threats against him and his family.
Sascha Stegemann files a criminal complaint
It was “very concretely threatened”, said the 38-year-old in the “double pass”. He had “unfortunately felt compelled to file a criminal complaint accordingly”. Temporary protective measures are also in the room.
In addition to Stegemann, video assistant Robert Hartmann was also criticized, who, despite the television pictures, did not recognize any blatant wrong decision and did not intervene from Cologne or at least sent the referee on the pitch to the review area. “It would have been very, very helpful if there had been a corresponding impetus,” said Stegemann, who had previously admitted mistakes on the WDR radio program “Liga Live”.
BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke condemns hostilities
Despite all the disappointment, the “hostility of any kind” is “not even remotely” tolerable, Watzke said on the club’s website. Probably also to cool down the heated discussion, the BVB boss emphasized: “We accept the insight and that’s it for us now.”
Referee colleague Felix Brych also clearly criticized the handling of Stegemann. “This is the point where the limit is exceeded,” said the 47-year-old on Sunday evening on the br program “Blickpunkt Sport”.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic tried to focus on the sporting part of the rest of the season. Two lost points wouldn’t mean “that we’re retiring or giving up,” he emphasized. “We’re Borussia.”