With a frustration foul, Björn Rother picked up a red card against SC Verl. Now it is certain how long the defensive midfielder will miss Rot-Weiss Essen.

Last Saturday was a day to forget for Rot-Weiss Essen. The Essen team went down 0:5 at home on Hafenstrasse. To make matters worse, Björn Rother picked up a red card shortly before the end of the game.

The defensive midfielder, who had previously missed the game against Unterhaching (0:4) with a calf injury, returned to the starting eleven on Matchday 10 in place of the stricken Vinko Sapina and – like all of RWE – did not have a good day. In the 85th minute, the 27-year-old then got carried away with a frustration foul against Maximilian Wolfram on the halfway line.

Rother was far too late with his straddle and hit the Verl attacker on the foot with an open sole. Consequently, referee Eric-Dominic Weisbach drew the red card.

Rother is banned for three games

Now the DFB has announced the penalty. Accordingly, Rother will be suspended for three third league games. The Essen side will thus have to do without their number six in the upcoming games against Borussia Dortmund II (October 13, 7 p.m.), 1. FC Saarbrücken (October 22, 4:30 p.m.) and MSV Duisburg (not yet scheduled, October 27-29). The midfielder will not be able to return to action until matchday 14, at home against Arminia Bielefeld (November 3-5).

Rother has made six appearances in the league so far, including two from the start. With his action against Sportclub, however, the 40-time second-division player is unlikely to have scored any plus points with coach Christoph Dabrowski in the battle for midfield positions.

The Essen side should hope that Vinko Sapina will be fit again next Friday after his neck problems, and can resume the role on Rother’s six.