Freiburg’s home Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt ended in chaos and red cards after visiting captain David Abraham was sent off for knocking over the hosts’ coach Christian Streich.
The 1-0 victory lifted Freiburg to fourth as Frankfurt the game with nine men.
Elsewhere, Patrick Herrmann scored twice as Borussia Moenchegladbach downed visitors Werder Bremen 3-1 to go four points clear at the top while Bayer Leverkusen enjoyed a 2-0 win at Wolfsburg.
Nils Petersen scored the winner for Freiburg in the 77th minute against a Frankfurt side down to 10 men shortly before halftime when Fernandes was sent off for a second booking.
Frankfurt then ended the match with nine after Abraham was shown a red card in stoppage time for barging over Streich on the touchline.
The incident led to a melee on the pitch near the touchline involving several players and coaching staff before Abraham, who had shortly before been booked for a tackle from behind, was dismissed.
After a video review on a touchline monitor, Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo, who had earlier been substituted, was also shown a red card for grabbing Abraham in the face in the confrontation.
Streich told Sky TV that Abraham “was just so charged up and blew a fuse because he wanted to win the game and was emotional, that’s all.”
He said he saw the player coming “but I couldn’t get out the way, he just ran me over.”
Frankfurt sports director Fredi Bobic said Abraham felt provoked as he ran to collect the ball which had run out of play and past Streich standing on the touchline.
“He felt provoked but that shouldn’t happen, he knows that,” Bobic told Sky.
“There will be consequences for all involved.”
Frankfurt, who had beaten champions Bayern Munich 5-1 last week, slip to ninth.
-AAP
