Bochum's game with Frankfurt starts after banner removed from exit

Kick-off in Bochum's Bundesliga game with Eintracht Frankfurt was delayed by 50 minutes on Sunday after away fans - for a third game there in two years - refused to remove a banner which covered an emergency exit.

The game eventually started after the banner was taken away.

The Bochum big screen had carried a message asking the Frankfurt fans to remove the banner and Frankfurt captain Robert Koch pleaded with supporters to comply.

But five minutes after the game should have started, the referee took the players off as talks continued.

A public address announcement then demanded the Frankfurt 'Ultras' take down the banner from the exit for safety reasons or else the game would not begin.

Bochum fans, whose side won at leaders Bayern Munich last weekend, stayed relatively calm as they waited for the away supporters to take down the banner.

They did so only after sporting director Markus Krösche angrily went over to speak with them. The fans opted to remove all their banners and some Frankfurt supporters even appeared to leave the stadium.

The game could be crucial at both ends of the Bundesliga. A healthy win for Frankfurt would send them up to third in the table, while third-bottom Bochum are in a relegation fight.

The same problem occurred at Bochum's game with VfB Stuttgart in January last year when Stuttgart fans also blocked an exit with a banner. The game was suspended for 45 minutes but eventually was completed.

A similar issue occurred in a Bochum match in 2023 against
Borussia Mönchengladbach.