Frankfurt (DPA): Players from German fourth-tier football team KSV Hessen Kassel spent the first minute of a match against Bundesliga side Cologne standing still in a protest over outstanding wages.
“We as a team wanted to draw attention to what has been happening here recently,” captain Tobias Becker told the Hessische Niedersaechsische Allgemeine newspaper following Tuesday evening’s protest.
A crowd of just over 5,000 in Kassel’s Auestadion then saw the regional-league team win the friendly match 5-3.
The referee and Cologne coach Peter Stoeger were informed of Kassel’s protest shortly before kick-off.
Kassel club officials earlier this month said that the budget for next season would be cut considerably in a move which follows the gradual withdrawal of main sponsor Volkswagen.
