German football: Fan protests and heavy defeats

In the Bundesliga, a match between Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg was briefly interrupted after Freiburg supporters threw tennis balls onto the pitch. The protest, which included banners, was directed against recent decisions by Bayer Leverkusen authorities to restrict fan materials, such as flags and banners. Freiburg coach Julian Schuster criticized the action, stating that while he is open to protests, he does not accept interference with the flow of the game. Leverkusen eventually won the match 2-1.

In the 2. Bundesliga, SV Darmstadt 98 suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat against Karlsruher SC. Darmstadt captain and goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen expressed intense frustration, describing the team's performance as a “absolute catastrophe” and criticizing the lack of basic execution. The match was also marked by tension off the pitch, with reports of confrontations between Darmstadt supporters and federal police at the Karlsruhe main station prior to kickoff.