After the 6:0 defeat against FC Augsburg, there were unusual pictures from Darmstadt: An Ultra fan stood on the pitch and gave an emotional speech in front of the assembled team. A scandal? The Darmstadt players have a very different view of the situation
Whoever watched the TV pictures following Darmstadt’s 0:6 debacle against FC Augsburg – it was the 17th game in a row without a win – could easily come to the conclusion that the Ultras had overstepped the mark – and that the Lilies had deliberately allowed it to happen.
But first things first. What happened? After the game, we saw how the Darmstadt fans had gathered in front of a fan in front of the curve and were given a lecture by him. The scene went on for a long time, there were whistles in the stadium in the direction of the fan, who stood unhindered on the pitch and gave an emotional incendiary speech.
But appearances were deceptive, as it turned out in the meantime. “One of the Ultras stood in the team’s circle and let a few things go,” said president Rüdiger Fritsch afterwards, asserting: “It was an exchange of ideas, an exchange of opinions – it was positive.” Afterwards, there was also “a positive mood” again, which could be beneficial in the long term, because: “This is where the cohesion of Darmstadt 98 will show itself again. “
Schuhen praises the fans’ sensitivity
Goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen expressed similar sentiments, speaking of “emotional and in any case clear words”, “but it was “zero percent aggressive”. “I know aggressive in a completely different way,” said the 31-year-old, explaining that he didn’t see the action as “bad at all”. “It was absolutely fine.”
In any case, he praised the “sensitivity of the people here, who have also experienced completely different things”. Even after a defeat like that, “a lot of respect” was shown – although “we didn’t deserve it, I have to be honest. They could have thrown things at us, I don’t know, insulted us,” said the goalkeeper, explaining that he would even have understood such things. “I would have accepted anything, in any way, shape or form, because we weren’t worthy of wearing the jersey today.”
But that’s exactly what didn’t happen; instead, he felt the reaction of the supporters was positive. “That makes it even more difficult for me that people handled the situation so well. “
