Masked fan unplugs VAR monitor during German second division match
A spectator disrupted a Preussen Munster versus Hertha Berlin match by disconnecting the pitchside VAR screen during a penalty review.
March 9, 2026 at 10:57 AM
A masked fan entered the pitch and unplugged a video assistant referee monitor during a German second division match on Sunday, disrupting a penalty review in the closing stages of the first half.
The incident occurred at Preussen Munster's home match against Hertha Berlin in Bundesliga 2, played in Cologne. Referee Felix Bickel had been called to the pitchside screen by VAR to review a challenge in the penalty area when the spectator, wearing a green balaclava, disconnected the equipment.
Bickel found the monitor blank when he arrived to review the incident. With the pitchside screen unavailable, VAR official Katrin Rafalski, operating from the Cologne VAR room, made the decision to rule the challenge a foul. Bickel subsequently awarded a penalty, which Hertha Berlin converted.
The fan who unplugged the monitor came from the active supporter section of Preussen Munster. A banner reading "Staccate la spina al Var"—Italian for "Unplug the VAR"—was displayed in the stands during the match, suggesting organized sentiment against the technology among the club's supporters.
Hertha Berlin won the match 2-1 away from home.