Line judge Thorben Siewer was replaced injured in the Bundesliga game between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Köln. Because the referee subsequently had to be represented by the fourth official, Nicolas Winter, a spectator from the stands took over Winter’s role between the two coaches’ benches. The man with a referee’s license was searched for and found via a stadium announcement.
What happened? During a Wolfsburg attack in the 14th minute, Cologne defender Max Finkgräfe shot the ball into touch and unintentionally hit the linesman in the face during this attempt to clear the ball from close range. Siewer was first treated and then taken to the referee’s cabin. His colleague Winter took over his job.
When the stadium announcer made a loudspeaker announcement looking for a representative for Winter, 32-year-old Tobias Krull, who works as a goalkeeper and sporting director for Wolfsburg’s neighboring club MTV Gifhorn in the regional soccer league, answered. Krull played for VfL Wolfsburg in his youth and has a referee license.
