Now threatened with points deduction

Rapids Hofmann stunned: “This is not funny”

Steffen Hofmann comments on the fan scandal at the Vienna derby.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/EDGAR SCHÜTZ, GEPA)

Stunned after the fan scandal in the Vienna derby! "It's not nice to watch. When you see things flying towards the family sector, it's anything but funny," railed Rapids managing director Steffen Hofmann. 

It was actually "a really great derby" with a "deserved winner", Hofmann initially said in the Sky interview, talking about the sporting aspects. But that quickly faded into the background.

According to Hofmann, objects flew from the Austria sector towards the Rapid family sector. "It was the same after the last derby. Only back then it wasn't a big issue."

"We don't want to see it in the stadium"
He was on the pitch himself and wanted to talk to the fans. "It's a shame, it's something we don't want to see in the stadium," said the former Rapid player angrily. Rapid are now threatened with a points deduction. "We'll sit down together and see what we do next and what conclusions we draw. We have to make sure that things like this don't happen again," said Hofmann.

Both coaches condemn the incidents
Rapid coach Robert Klauß explained: "It puts a damper on the joy. Nobody wants to see what happened afterwards. That concerns me too." Such scenes "don't belong in the stadium", said Klauß. "These are images that we don't want to see, they damage our external perception." However, you can't look away either. As Rapid are "on probation" after the incidents in the derby last February, there is a risk of points being deducted, the German feared: "That immediately came to mind."

Austrias coach Stephan Helm also said: "You can't brush that aside." It was shocking "that such riots occur in a country like Austria. You have to get scared when you go to an event like this." Especially "with the family".