20 January 2024 , 15:57
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Jadon Sancho's second full debut for Borussia Dortmund was halted after just 12 minutes after fans threw chocolate coins on the pitch.
The on-loan Manchester United winger was named in the starting line-up for Saturday afternoon's clash with Koln at the RheinEnergieStadion. He and his Dortmund teammates enjoyed a dream start as Red Devils transfer target Donyell Malen gave the visitors the lead from a corner in the 12th minute.
However, the game was then halted as supporters pelted the goalmouth with what looked like chocolate coins. Players helped to clear the playing surface before the game could get back underway.
Both sets of fans also took part in co-ordinated chants, while banners were unfurled declaring their opposition to private equity investors being introduced into the Bundesliga. The match was paused for around eight minutes.
Clubs in the German top-flight and the second division recently took part in a vote that would see around eight per cent of the league's TV and marketing rights sold. Of the 36 clubs to take part across the two divisions, 24 backed the plans.
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Any deal is expected to be a 20-year agreement and could potentially be worth up to €1billion (£860billion). There were four front runners previously thought to be in the running for the deal including Blackstone, Advent, EQT and CVC.
Negotiations with the various firms are set to continue and a final decision is reportedly expected to be reached by March 2024. Saturday's protests are not the first time that Bundesliga fans have made their opinions on a potential deal known. Games involving Union Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Mönchengladbach and more all saw protests ahead of the initial vote.
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A previous attempt to sell 12.5 per cent percent of the rights was voted against in May 2023. Fans once again protested, leading to the idea being thrown out.
Speaking at the time, Borussia Dortmund chief executive and supervisory board chairman of the German Football League (DFL) Hans-Joachim Watzke said: "Sometimes, things are simple in life. That's democracy. We had a majority [in favour] but not the majority we wanted. So that's the end of the issue."
The Bundesliga has regularly seen fan pushback on a number of issues. The league famously has a '50+1' rule, with club members owning half, plus one additional vote, of all club's voting rights. Supporters have regularly made their opposition to rising ticket costs across European football known.