Bundesliga
A court has upheld the German Football Association's decision to award Bochum a 2-0 win from their interrupted Matchday 14 game against Union Berlin, rejecting the capital club's appeal.
It means the 1-1 draw between Union Berlin and Bochum on Matchday 14 remains in the standings as a 2-0 win and three points for Bochum based on the DFB sports tribunal (DFB-Sportgericht) ruling of 9 January 2025. On 28 February 2025, the DFB federal tribunal (DFB-Bundesgericht), as the final instance within the association, had confirmed the initial ruling.
Union appealed to the Permanent Arbitration Court for Clubs and Corporations of the Licensed Leagues (Ständige Schiedsgericht für Vereine und Kapitalgesellschaften der Lizenzligen), but the court announced on 28 April 2025 it has rejected that appeal, as well as appeals from St Pauli and Holstein Kiel.
Thomas Bergmann, DFB Vice President for Legal Affairs, said: "The Permanent Arbitration Court for Associations and Corporations of the License Leagues has not come to a different conclusion than the two DFB legal authorities have previously. This confirms our view."
Watch: Highlights from the game in December
Bochum officially lodged an appeal against the result of their 14 December 2024 game after goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was hit by a lighter thrown from the crowd, leading to a lengthy delay. Both sets of players walked off the pitch before emerging minutes later.
However, Drewes did not return for the remainder, forcing Bochum to put striker Philipp Hofmann in goal as they had already used up all of their allotted substitutions. Both teams then decided not to attack as the game ended 1-1.
Regardless of the final outcome of the game as a result of the ruling, all match statistics - including goals, assists and Bochum midfielder's Koji Miyoshi sending off - stand.