A fatality at the stadium cast a shadow over the derby between MSV and RWE – what followed was a heated debate about respect, morality, and the limits of fan behavior.

The rivalry between MSV Duisburg and Rot-Weiss Essen has been one of the most emotional in the region for decades. But what unfolded around the 2025 Lower Rhine Cup Final and the subsequent derbies went far beyond the scope of typical fan conflicts. Soccer became a backdrop for a highly sensitive, emotionally taxing issue.

During the Lower Rhine Cup Final in May, a medical emergency occurred in the spectator area. An MSV fan collapsed, had to be resuscitated in the stands, and was subsequently taken to the hospital, where he later died. A moment that normally brings every stadium to a standstill.

Initially, both sets of fans ceased their support accordingly. However, following an announcement during halftime, the atmosphere picked up again. In particular, the resuming, loud support from the Essen section—including loud cheering after the final whistle—remained etched in the memory of many Duisburg fans. The RWE supporters assumed that the MSV fan was on the mend in the hospital.

Immediately after the game, MSV coach Dietmar Hirsch spoke with unusual emotion. He spoke of “bottomless disrespect” and said it was unimaginable to him how anyone could return to business as usual at such a moment.

MSV banner with strong language – next derby in April

These statements intensified the debate significantly. While many MSV fans interpreted Hirsch’s words as an expression of shock and helplessness, RWE officials and fans perceived the accusations as sweeping, unfair, and emotionally exaggerated. They pointed out that not everyone in the section had been informed of the exact situation and that, as already mentioned, the halftime announcements had played a role.

What was already becoming clear: The issue was not over. At the subsequent 3rd Division derby in late October, MSV fans revisited the events—this time unfiltered, publicly, and unambiguously.

In the Duisburg section of the stands, a banner was unfurled that essentially—and deliberately provocatively—renewed the accusation that RWE fans had shown “support and cheering during a death struggle.” The language was harsh (“Disgraceful RWE cunts”), the message clear: From the MSV fans’ perspective, the behavior at the time was not a misunderstanding, but a moral transgression they did not wish to forget—nor forgive.

The harshness of the banner in particular showed just how deep the pain and anger still ran. It went far beyond soccer and the usual rivalry. The next match between the two teams will take place on the first weekend of April.