Steffen Baumgart shows middle finger – curious explanation for dismissal

After his dismissal in the 4: 3 victory in Frankfurt, Union Berlin coach Steffen Baumgart is now closed against his ex-club Hamburger SV in the next Bundesliga game. This particularly hurts the 53-year-old. “Everyone can imagine that this annoys me twice,” said Baumgart about their red card.

When HSV stops by the Alte Försterei next Sunday, Baumgart sits for the second time in his coaching career in a Bundesliga game in the stands. “Unfortunately, I only registered that afterwards,” he said. “It was my mistake. I have to live with that – and I hope everyone else can do it too.”

In March of this year, he had been missing in the home game against Bayern Munich because he had been warned for the fourth time on the match day. The opponent was also the harmony at the time. “Somehow Frankfurt is not a good pavement when it comes to locks,” said Baumgart.

In both cases, the trigger was a penalty decision by the referee, about which Baumgart mocked. However, the repeat offender did not want to improve in the future. “Anyone who is expecting an apology or that I say next time I will do it better – I’m too emotional to give 100 % security,” said Baumgart.

If things go stupid for the football teacher, his behavior in the hectic final phase of the game could have even greater consequences for him. Because TV pictures show that Baumgart showed the middle finger on the edge of the field.

He did not want this to be understood as a derogatory gesture against referee Sven Jablonski or another person. “I looked into nothing, it didn’t go in any direction, so everything was fine. That was an emotion that I had due to the video evidence and the previous situation,” said Baumgart about the scene. The DFB may see it differently.