Insane moments of Fortuna's final descent and ascent

Fortuna's Insane Scenarios From Last Down-Promotion

Twelve years ago, Fortuna Düsseldorf was on the brink of relegation, and the second match remains memorable for a peculiar incident. A man, in Fortuna gear, suddenly walked onto the field before the end whistle and marked one of the penalties spots with crosses, causing even the seasoned coach Otto Rehhagel to think he was watching a different movie.

ARD commentator Tom Bartels was astounded, exclaiming, "This can't be serious! He's trying to take the penalty spot before the end! I've never seen anything like this!" The viewers at home found the sight equally shocking. It was the return leg of the relegation game between Fortuna Düsseldorf and Hertha BSC in May 2012. The man seemed to have sabotaged the game after Fortuna's 2:1 win in Berlin and the home team's attempt to secure a 2:2 draw.

Suddenly, hundreds of Düsseldorf fans entered the pitch, and the "penalty thief" was among them. When he realized later that the game wasn't over and had caused an interruption, he said apologetically, "There was a whistle and the stewards went to the side. We were ecstatically running onto the field. I only noticed later, when I was down from the field, that the game was not yet over."

The referee, Wolfgang Stark, had to temporarily halt the game due to the invasion of Fortuna fans. However, Hertha's coach, Otto Rehhagel, broached another issue, and suspended play for 21 minutes was not enough for him. From the 85th minute, according to him, fans, stewards, and random people had surrounded him in the coaching zone. With the game's continuation after the long stop not seeming acceptable, Rehhagel feared another goal might be scored.

Hertha's appeal against the match result at Fortuna Düsseldorf was dismissed by the DFB after three days of hearings. The referee team led by Stark was more determined in their stance that the game was concluded properly, making no room for discussion. Wolfgang Stark was punished with a ban of four and three games, respectively, for the behavior towards the referee, for Thomas Kraft and Andre Mijatovic.

The night turned disastrous for player Lewan Kobiaschwili, who set a record for the longest suspension of a Bundesliga player. He landed blows on referee Stark's head, but luckily spared him from injury. Stark filed a criminal complaint against Kobiaswili and handed him a suspension until the end of the year. This punishment marked a sad milestone for the Berlin Bundesliga relegator who had been a striker for TSV 1860 Munich before.

A Penalty Incident in Football History

Twelve years ago, an unexpected incident occurred in a relegation match between Fortuna Düsseldorf and Hertha BSC. As quoted, "There was a whistle and the stewards went to the side. We were ecstatically running onto the field. I only noticed later, when I was down from the field, that the game was not yet over." This guy, the "penalty thief," reacted hurriedly as the crowd celebrated victory, only to realize the gravity of his actions. The incident also captured the media's attention and sparked controversy among viewers, who saw him as a 'nobody' who disrupted the game and disobeyed the rules.

But what exactly led the penalty thief to do such a thing? With emotions running high, fans of Düsseldorf were excited when their team won the first game of the relegation by 2:1. To ensure a draw in the returning match, they decided to invade the pitch. During the chaos, the "penalty thief" walked onto the pitch, apparently believing the game was over. He marked out a penalty spot on the lush green grass, much to the astonishment of everyone on the field. Most notably, the commentator, Tom Bartels, and the experienced coach Otto Rehhagel were baffled by the situation. Even the audience at home were bewildered.

As the game continued and Hertha was unable to score a third goal, the fans continued their rampage. The referee had to temporarily stop the game as the stewards and the penalty thief entered the pitch. Eventually, the 21-minute suspension had to be incorporated for 'reasons' by Chairman Hans-Werner Heuer and Manager Roland Feggeler. Still, Otto Rehhagel denied the game's proper completion, claiming a safety hazard as the fans placed themselves too close to the bench and had children among them. The referee, Wolfgang Stark, believed otherwise, pleading that the match was concluded according to the rules and regulations.

The eye-catching episode jeopardized the progression towards the Bundesliga and stirred numerous discussions. Hertha's coach, Otto Rehhagel, demanded a replay, arguing that the game was 'unjustly concluded'. But the DFB resolutely dismissed the appeal. Referees held on to their statement, emphasizing the game's proper completion and that Rehhagel needed 'an escape route.'

Over the course of the three-day hearings, the tensions escalated. Noticing the influence of public opinion, Otto Rehhagel, an experienced, 73-year-old native of Essen, went berserk in a melodramatic speech, stating that the situation was unprecedented. He was sure that he experienced "the bombing of the Americans in Essen in 1943" and had not seen anything like that before. As the focal point of the spectacle, Rehhagel vehemently opposed the verdict. He thought the fans were 'just having fun.' The decision of the DFB stood, regardless.

Meanwhile, some of the players involved took aggressive action. Fans and players physical altercated with the referee. Goalkeeper of Berlin, Thomas Kraft, referred to the 'danger potential,' fearing the possibility of scoring the third goal in appalling conditions.

Thomas Kraft and Andre Mijatovic faced the brunt of the aftermath, as the penalty thief dunderheaded actions resulted in their suspensions. Lewan Kobiaschwili, Maik Kaiser, and Saşa Ožbolt were also reprimanded. However, the grave crime was committed by Kobiaswili, who dealt with Referee Wolfgang Stark harshly. In his rage, he landed a powerful punch that barely missed the referee, fortunately. Of course, the referee was outraged and promptly filed a complaint against the errant Hertha retaliator. The unfortunate man was given a hefty fine and a ban until the end of the year. This left a bitter taste in Kobiaschwili's mouth despite the Father Christmas outfit festooning him.

Looking back, the events revealed a shocking penalty incident that still sparks amazement in football circles. From the penalty theft to the player's rampage, the evening's events marked a melancholic beginning and the end of a significant moment in the Bundesliga's history and a unique experience for an unwitting young man.

Kobiaschwili, on the contrary, took the DFB's penalty as Konietzka did back then and remarked later, "I'm really glad that these proceedings have come to an end." It appears that this attitude was shared by all parties involved in this unforgettable relegation game. Indeed, the Fortuna had made their way into the first Bundesliga after two nail-biting matches. Moreover, one person in particular breathed a sigh of relief. Since the goal scorer had never forgiven his team for a decision against them, as he revealed with self-awareness and remorse: "I would never do anything that would harm Fortuna."