NEWS
"Whining": Kaiserslautern responds to Senft's statement
The derby between Kaiserslautern and KSC was heated. A statement from Karlsruhe coach Maximilian Senft was still a topic of discussion even after the final whistle.
1. FC Kaiserslautern and Karlsruher SC drew goalless on Saturday in the Southwest derby of the 2. German Bundesliga (Match report >>>).
After a heated first half, in which Lautern had the upper hand, KSC took control of the game in the second half. But FCK goalkeeper Julian Krahl distinguished himself time and again, saving, among other shots, a long-range effort from Austrian international Christoph Kobald.
For Kaiserslautern, Austrian youth international Thierry Fidjeu-Tazemeta also made his debut in the 2. German Bundesliga. The 19-year-old was substituted in in the 67th minute.
Senft's Statement Before the Derby
After the match, however, another Austrian, KSC coach Maximilian Senft, was in the spotlight. Specifically, a statement from the former Ried coach caused a stir in the Kaiserslautern camp.
At the press conference before the derby, Senft had claimed that Lautern players "go down very quickly, without real contact" when defending set pieces. He had hoped that the referee team would "very closely" observe such situations in the derby.
"Whining" and "Soiled Himself"
FCK captain Marlon Ritter spoke plainly in the mixed zone after the 0-0 draw: "We've had a lot of derbies. But that someone was already whining and soiled himself before the derby, that's something we haven't had before."
Lautern's coach Torsten Lieberknecht also addressed Senft's statement after the match and at the same time praised the referee. He told "Sky": "It was certainly not an easy game for the referee – also with the statements my coaching colleague made before the game, which were far-fetched. That's why he (the referee, editor's note) did a great job in both directions, handled it superbly. He deserves great praise for that."
For Kaiserslautern, the draw in the derby was their second consecutive goalless draw. The season opener saw a 0-0 draw away at relegated VfL Wolfsburg. KSC won their first matchday game 2-1 against Arminia Bielefeld and temporarily stands in third place in the table.
