Bochum trainer Reis claims sending off was a mistake
In his post-match comments, VfL Bochum head-coach Thomas Reis claimed that his sending off in Saturday's 0-3 defeat to Freiburg resulted from a misunderstanding.
If the trainer's reasoning is accepted, Reis may find his suspension next week overturned.
VfL Bochum trainer Thomas Reis' afternoon at Freiburg's Europa Park Stadion was certainly one to forget. His team was completely dominated in every last sense by the superior Breisgauer. To add insult to injury, Reis found himself sent off on a straight red by match official Sascha Stegemann in the 68th minute.
If the trainer's reasoning is accepted, Reis may find his suspension next week overturned.
Reis' dismissal followed Konstantinos Stafylidis' ouster in the same minute. The Greek midfielder was rightly sent off after engaging in a reckless challenge on Roland Sallai. According to Reis, his actually intended to direct his frustration at his own player.
"I was more upset with him [Stafylidis]," Reis claimed afterwards, "because we don't have a lot of personnel left at that position and he took a huge risk fouling in the opponent's half like that."
Reis admitted to making a "windshield wiper" gesture. The VfL trainer clarified that this was meant for Stafylidis; an expressive meme to sardonically ask the veteran midfielder could have tackled in such a fashion.
Reis noted that he had spoken to officiating team after the match, apologized, and attempted to make clear that the communique wasn't meant for Stegemann, the fourth official, or anyone else on the refereeing crew.
Ostensibly, Reis will be suspended for Bochum's next fixture against Augsburg. Reis' attempt at clarification remains nevertheless noted in the match log. The suspension could still be overturned.