Bizarre scenes as Bayern game stopped over anti-Hoffenheim banner 🛑 | OneFootball

Saturday’s Bundesliga clash between Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim was stopped due to a banner in the away end protesting against Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp.

Hansi Flick’s side were leading 6-0 when the referee took the players of both sides off the field with just under 15 minutes remaining.

Flick, his players, sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić and even former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn went to remonstrate with the away supporters to remove the banner and stop their anti-Hopp chants.

After waiting in the tunnel for around five minutes, both teams then returned to the pitch and the match continued.

However, in protest AGAINST the supporters, the players just casually kicked the ball around while the clock ticked down, with the presidents of both clubs watching on from the sidelines.

The offensive banner roughly translates as “Hopp is a son of a bitch” and the German billionaire is unpopular with supporters throughout the Bundesliga because of the heavy investment he has made in the Sinsheim club to propel them from the German lower leagues and up to the Bundesliga.

Supporters of Borussia Dortmund were also warned that their game against Freiburg would be stopped on Saturday if they didn’t cease anti-Hopp chants of their own.

Dortmund fans have previously been banned from attending away games at Hoffenheim for two years due to protests against Hopp.

And last weekend, Hoffenheim’s 1-1 draw away at Borussia Mönchengladbach was also stopped due to protests from the home supporters, with one banner depicting Hopp between crosshairs.

Speaking after Saturday’s game, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge strongly condemned the away supporters protests.

“That was the very ugly face of FC Bayern,” he said.

“We had the whole thing filmed. We will be vigorous against them and they will definitely be held accountable.

“We’ve allowed far too much. A rethink must take place today. We have to do everything we can to combat it.”