Row in the tunnel over Bellingham? BVB chief Ricken responds | OneFootball

Jobe Bellingham experienced a disappointing debut for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga opener and was substituted out at halftime. After the game, his father caused a stir with a heated conversation with sports director Sebastian Kehl – but Lars Ricken downplayed the incident.

Borussia Dortmund not only made headlines for their disappointing 3-3 draw in the Bundesliga opener against FC St. Pauli, but also for an incident that occurred in the catacombs of the Millerntor Stadium. According to reports, there was a confrontation between Mark Bellingham, the father and agent of new signing Jobe Bellingham, and BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl.

As reported by BILD and Sky, Mark Bellingham criticized the Dortmund officials after the final whistle. The conversation allegedly centered around the team's playing style and the early substitution of his son after just 45 minutes.

Kehl confirmed the incident and made it clear: "We are all disappointed with the result yesterday. And despite that, the active area is and remains reserved for players, coaches, and officials, not families and agents. This will not happen again. We have informed all parties involved accordingly."

Bellingham controversy after BVB's opener against FC St. Pauli

Sports managing director Lars Ricken, on the other hand, attempted to de-escalate the situation. In an interview with Sky90, he explained: "To put things into perspective: we got Jobe Bellingham because we built a trust relationship over the years. Now the family flew in especially for their son's first Bundesliga game and wanted to meet him at the bus. They were standing in the corridor of the cabin and had an emotional conversation with Sebastian."

Ricken downplayed the incident, saying: "It wasn't a quarrel, but a more emotional conversation. Due to our very good relationship, it's not a problem at all." He added: "Everything is cleared up – no drama."

The 19-year-old Jobe Bellingham joined BVB from AFC Sunderland for around 30 million euros in the summer. After his first appearances in the Club World Cup and the DFB Cup, he now made his Bundesliga debut – which, however, was cut short after just one half. His older brother Jude had made the leap to becoming a world star between 2020 and 2023 before joining Real Madrid.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.