A masked fan unplugged a video assistant referee (VAR) monitor in a German second division match on Sunday as the referee went to the pitchside screen to check a penalty award. The incident occurred at the end of the first half of Preussen Munster's 2-1 home defeat by Hertha Berlin in Bundesliga 2 in Cologne. Referee Felix Bickel was asked by VAR to review the incident on a pitchside monitor, but found the screen blank. With Bickel unable to make the call, the decision was left to the VAR official Katrin Rafalski to rule that it was a foul and for Bickel to award a penalty, which Hertha scored.

Source: BBC March 09, 2026 01:28 UTC