AUGSBURG, Germany (AP) – Thursday’s match between Augsburg and Union Berlin forced a five-minute stoppage as fans protesting changes to the Bundesliga schedule caused toy balls and other objects to fly onto the field.
When the ball went into the back of Augsburg’s goal in the 32nd minute, an object was thrown from the stands. All players, substitutes and staff attended to clear the field before play resumed in the 37th minute.
Fans held up two banners protesting the unusual decision to play Thursday and called for more matches to be played in the traditional Saturday afternoon slot.
The Bundesliga has 18 teams and a 34-game season, so midweek matches are rare compared to other major European leagues.
Thursday’s game is the result of the league’s television broadcast deal, which began this season, and calls for five different kickoff times for each game, German agency DPA reported. The midweek game also featured early and late games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
