With clear words, players Leon Goretzka of the racist failures of three spectators at the match against Serbia distances itself national. The three men have since been reported to the police.
Midfielder Leon Goretzka, in the Background is Marco Reus
Leon Goretzkas message was clear: xenophobia and racism in the stadium. “I come from the Ruhr area, where one responds to the question of nationality with Schalke, Dortmund or Bochum,” said the 24 years old national player, who was born in Bochum, and as a footballer over VfL Bochum and FC Schalke 04 at the beginning of this season with the record Champions FC Bayern met: “For us, Integration is not an issue, but a matter of course.”
No Support
Goretzka had been raised at the press conference the national team before the European championship qualifying match in Amsterdam against the Netherlands (kick-off on Sunday at 20.45 CET, 20.30, in the DW-Audio-Livestream) on an incident during a test match in Wolfsburg against Serbia (1:1). Basketball Journalist André Voigt, who had followed the game on the tribune, had reported in an emotional Video about the racist failures of three behind him, the seated visitors. You have to continue insulting the national player Leroy Sané and Ilkay Gündogan, and finally, “Heil Hitler”. Particularly shocking, Voigt, had been for him, that no one will have support in the stands with him, as he faced the three men.
Reus: “We stand for diversity”
“I’ve looked at the Video,” said Goretzka. “It has moved me very much, and the scenes he has described, I was horrified. I can only urge all, with a lot of courage to take action and to have such people in their place.” Team-mate Marco Reus also condemned the verbal Assault. “This is not a thing that is not absolute, what we stand for, absolutely,” said the 29-year-old playmaker. “We stand for diversity, skin color is no matter.”
Accused say police
The three visitors in question, have reported, according to a spokesman for the Wolfsburg-based police, in the meantime, and in the case of a first hearing of the incident from their point of view described. They were between 30 and 40 years old and came from the Region of Braunschweig, said the spokesperson. The investigation lasted. Reinhard Grindel, President of the German football Association (DFB), announced a criminal complaint and possible stadium bans.