Heinz Büse, dpa I Sunday, April 30, 2023
BOCHUM – Dortmund managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke doesn’t want to further fuel the discussion about a possible penalty that was not given to his side in the 1-1 draw at Bochum on Friday.
Referee Sascha Stegemann has revealed he has received threats against himself and his family. Despite the penalty decision possibly having major implications on the Bundesliga title race, Watzke says the club and fans need to move on.
“We accept it and that’s the end of the discussion for us,” he told dpa on Sunday. Bochum’s Danilo Soares appeared to foul Karim Adeyemi in the box but Stegemann waved away Dortmund appeals and the video assistant did not intervene.
Dortmund went into the game with a one point lead at the top with five games to go. But the draw means champions Bayern can take over at the summit with a home victory over bottom side Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
On Saturday, Stegemann and the German football federation (DFB) acknowledged that Dortmund should have been awarded the penalty.
“We have clearly expressed our anger over this wrong decision to Mr Stegemann but also Mr (Robert) Hartmann (video assistant referee). That was definitely intense. But things should be good,” Watzke added.
Stegemann told Sport1 that he and his family had been “threatened in a very concrete way.”
The 38-year-old added on Sunday: “I have unfortunately felt compelled to file a criminal complaint and this is now also time for protective measures.” The referee now wants to “let things sink in” and “think about whether a break makes sense or whether it is better to continue refereeing straight away.”
In a separate statement on Sunday, Watzke told the fans the club won’t tolerate any kind of “hostility, denigration or threats, be it personally or anonymously via social media channels.”
