Union Berlin has made headlines as they recently suspended David Datro Fofana for a week due to his refusal to shake his coach’s hand during the team’s Champions League match against Napoli.
During Union Berlin’s encounter with Napoli, David Datro Fofana, who is on loan at the Bundesliga club from Chelsea, found himself at the center of a controversy.
In the 70th minute of the game, head coach Urs Fischer decided to substitute Fofana, a decision that did not sit well with the player.
As Fischer extended his hand for a customary handshake, Fofana walked past him, refusing the gesture of sportsmanship. This act of defiance was not taken lightly by the club and its supporters.
Following Fofana’s refusal to shake his coach’s hand, the situation escalated. Fischer, seemingly frustrated by Fofana’s disregard, appeared to jostle the player.
This physical contact further fueled the controversy surrounding the incident. Union Berlin went on to lose the match to Napoli with a score of 1-0, marking their ninth consecutive loss in all competitions and their third loss in three Champions League matches.
In response to the incident, Union Berlin spokesperson Christian Arbeit revealed that David Datro Fofana had apologized to both Urs Fischer and the club’s sporting director, Oliver Ruhnert.
In his apology, Fofana expressed remorse for his actions, emphasizing that his behavior was rooted in frustration.
The 20-year-old Ivorian, who joined Chelsea from Molde in January, clarified that he had no intention to disrespect his coach or the team.
In an Instagram post, he stated, “The gesture was not intended and in no way does it represent my attitude. All this was generated as a result of frustration because I wanted to continue helping the team to obtain a positive result.”
In response to the incident and the subsequent apology, Union Berlin decided to suspend David Datro Fofana for one week.
During this period, he will not participate in team training and will not be considered for selection in upcoming matches, including the Bundesliga game against Werder Bremen and the German Cup match against Stuttgart. Fofana is set to rejoin team training on Wednesday, November 1.
Urs Fischer, Union Berlin’s head coach, expressed hope that Fofana would learn from the incident, stressing the importance of accepting decisions made by the coaching staff.
The suspension of David Datro Fofana by Union Berlin following his refusal to shake his coach’s hand during a Champions League match against Napoli has brought attention to the significance of respecting team decisions and displaying sportsmanship.
