Bayern Munich’s Carlo Ancelotti looks on prior to the Bundesliga match against Hertha Berlin in eastern Germany, on February 18, 2017 © AFP / ROBERT MICHAEL
BERLIN, Germany, Feb 19 – Bayern Munich’s Carlo Ancelotti could be in hot water with the German FA (DFB) after admitting showing the middle finger towards Hertha Berlin fans who he claims spat at him.
“Yes, I made the gesture after being spat at,” Bayern’s coach told broadcaster ARD.
Hertha fans were enraged after Bayern equalised with a Robert Lewandowski goal in the 96th-minute at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday to snatch a 1-1 draw which left the Bavarians eight points clear in the Bundesliga.
The middle finger gesture happened as Ancelotti walked towards the players’ tunnel in Berlin.
According to magazine Kicker, the DFB are poised to investigate both Ancelotti and Hertha’s goalkeeper Rune Jarstein, who kicked a ball which struck Bayern’s Xabi Alonso in disgust at the result.
Hertha’s coach Pal Dardai later branded the six minutes of added time a ‘Bayern’s bonus’ and tempers frayed on the pitch as Lewandowski equalised just seconds before the referee blew the final whistle.
“We always fight until the end. It wasn’t my best goal and was my last ball contact of the game — you can’t get later than that,” admitted Lewandowski who scored after 95 minutes, 59 seconds.
Lewandowski’s goal came later than the five minutes of added time the fourth official had previously indicated.
Hertha’s goalscorer Vedad Ibisevic, who gave the hosts a first-half lead before Lewandowski struck, was not amused.
“Why did there have to be five minutes of added time and then two minutes extra? Where did that come from? That only happens to Bayern!,” he fumed.
But Bayern’s Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer criticised Hertha’s Norwegian shot-stopper Jarstein for lashing out at the ball he kicked, which hit Alonso in the back.
“That has no place – that is not fair play,” said Neuer.
