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Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga leaders, fired in three goals in the opening 15 minutes en route to a 6-0 demolition of Hoffenheim on Saturday but the game finished in farcical fashion with a 20-minute interrupution over an offensive banner unfurled by the visiting Bayern fans.
Bayern moved four points clear at the top of the table but the match was at risk of being cut short when the club’s fans displayed the banner insulting the Hoffenheim investor Dietmar Hopp in the 79th minute.
The referee ordered the teams into the tunnel and some Bayern players as well as the entire club leadership walked to the stands and urged fans to take it down immediately.
After a 20-minute interruption both teams came back on to the pitch and ran down the clock without playing competitively, ending the game with an ovation for Hopp and with the Bayern CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, by the billionaire’s side in a show of solidarity.
Hopp has been a lightning rod for some German fans, who oppose the way he used his wealth to help Hoffenheim climb through the lower leagues to the Bundesliga with consecutive promotions more than a decade ago.
A similar insulting banner led to a ban on Borussia Dortmund fans in Hoffenheim for two seasons and €50,000 fine earlier this month.
“I am deeply ashamed for the behaviour of these people. That is inexcusable. It is the ugly face of football,” Rummenigge said. “I have apologised to Dietmar Hopp. We have filmed everything and these people will be held accountable.”
The champions, who were without their injured top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, went ahead in the second minute through a Serge Gnabry volley. Joshua Kimmich doubled the advantage five minutes later and Joshua Zirkzee made it 3-0. Philippe Coutinho scored either side of the break and Leon Goretzka completed the rout in the 62nd minute.
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