FC Hansa Rostock’s relegation was as good as certain when some fans blew a fuse.

It couldn’t get much more bitter for Hansa Rostock. Relegation from the third division was as good as sealed in stoppage time against SC Paderborn with a score of 1:2, when some fans blew a fuse. Thick, black smoke rose from the stands and some Hansa supporters threw firecrackers into the stadium. Rockets also flew.

There was a crash in the stadium for several minutes and referee Harm Osmers called the teams off the pitch. Clouds of smoke billowed through the stadium and it didn’t seem as if the match could be kicked off again. The fans of Wehen Wiesbaden, who were dependent on a Paderborn point because of their club’s 2-1 defeat against FC St. Pauli, waited anxiously for news from Rostock.

After a long wait, the game finally went ahead in a now almost empty stadium. The missing four minutes were played out, and then Rostock’s relegation was complete.

Previously, Hansa Rostock had even had a sniff of relegation. After Nils Fröling’s opening goal (48′) and Wiesbaden’s equalizer, Hansa had moved up to 16th place before Marcus Kolke made a momentous blunder. The Hansa goalkeeper let a harmless shot from Felix Platte slip through his fingers – 1:1.

Adriano Grimaldi’s header in the 87th minute sealed Rostock’s relegation from the third division, which will remain a negative memory due to the riots.

Hansa Rostock: Already rioting in the first leg in Paderborn

There had also been rioting by some Hansa fans in the first leg in December 2023. In the process, 24 police officers and 13 stewards were injured by objects and pyrotechnics being thrown. There was also damage to police cars and to property in and around the stadium. Among other things, the rioters also set fire to a toilet. The total damage was said to be around 250,000 euros. Months later, suspected Hansa fans had their homes searched. The club announced that it would pay for the damage