Union Berlin boss Nenad Bjelica bewildered fans after he was dismissed for pushing Bayern Munich attacker Leroy Sane in the face.
Bjelica was in the technical area, watching his team trail 1-0 when he carried the ball after it went out of the pitch.
Sane tried to take the ball off the Croatian tactician, and Nenad Bjelica lost control of the ball, before brushing his hand into the face of the Bayern Munich forward.
The incident resulted in a fracas, with backroom staff of both teams pulling the pair apart to calm the situation.
Bjelica was subsequently brandished a red card for his troubles, as fans remained shocked by the incident.
Leroy Sane also didn't leave the scene without a booking of his own, as he was handed a yellow for his part in the squabble.
Nenad Bjelica is expected to be slammed with a hefty punishment following the violent act, which occurred after his side appealed for a penalty and were turned down.
Bayern Munich ultimately won the encounter with the lone goal, scored by Raphael Guerreiro in the 46th minute, with a brilliant effort into the top-right corner.
This victory comes after their shocking 1-0 loss to Werder Bremen on Sunday, January 21, 2024, which put their title chances at a shaky state.
However, following their victory over Union Berlin, they closed the gap with Bayern Leverkusen to 4 points, as they sit 2nd on the log with 44 points from 18 matches, while Xabi Alonso's side have amassed 48 points from 18 matches.
The 2023/24 German Bundesliga title appears like it will go down to the wire, just like the 2022/23 season, where Borussia Dortmund bottled the league crown to Thomas Tuchel's side on the final day of the season.
Meanwhile, Union Berlin sit 15th on the German top-tier league table, with 14 points from 17 matches, under the watch of manager Bjelica who was appointed on November 27, 2023.
The 52-year-old has coached some notable teams in his career, including; Dinamo Zagreb, Trabzonspor, and Lech Poznan.
In 15 matches as manager of the Berlin-based club, Nenad Bjelica has guided the club to just 6 victories, 2 draws, and 7 defeats across all competitions.
His stellar years in his coaching career so far were at Dinamo Zagreb, where he won 2 Croatian league titles, 1 Croatian Cup, and 1 Croatian Super Cup.
Having finished 4th in the German Bundesliga last campaign, The Iron Ones will be hoping to remain in the top flight this campaign, to aim for impressive heights next term.
Union Berlin return to action on Sunday, January 28, 2024, facing SV Darmstadt, in a Matchday 19 German Bundesliga clash.
They are 3 points clear of the drop zone and Nenad Bjelica will be hoping to stir the side to a respectable finish at the end of the season.
Bjelica was in the technical area, watching his team trail 1-0 when he carried the ball after it went out of the pitch.
Sane tried to take the ball off the Croatian tactician, and Nenad Bjelica lost control of the ball, before brushing his hand into the face of the Bayern Munich forward.
The incident resulted in a fracas, with backroom staff of both teams pulling the pair apart to calm the situation.
Bjelica was subsequently brandished a red card for his troubles, as fans remained shocked by the incident.
Leroy Sane also didn't leave the scene without a booking of his own, as he was handed a yellow for his part in the squabble.
Nenad Bjelica is expected to be slammed with a hefty punishment following the violent act, which occurred after his side appealed for a penalty and were turned down.
Bayern Munich ultimately won the encounter with the lone goal, scored by Raphael Guerreiro in the 46th minute, with a brilliant effort into the top-right corner.
This victory comes after their shocking 1-0 loss to Werder Bremen on Sunday, January 21, 2024, which put their title chances at a shaky state.
However, following their victory over Union Berlin, they closed the gap with Bayern Leverkusen to 4 points, as they sit 2nd on the log with 44 points from 18 matches, while Xabi Alonso's side have amassed 48 points from 18 matches.
The 2023/24 German Bundesliga title appears like it will go down to the wire, just like the 2022/23 season, where Borussia Dortmund bottled the league crown to Thomas Tuchel's side on the final day of the season.
Meanwhile, Union Berlin sit 15th on the German top-tier league table, with 14 points from 17 matches, under the watch of manager Bjelica who was appointed on November 27, 2023.
The 52-year-old has coached some notable teams in his career, including; Dinamo Zagreb, Trabzonspor, and Lech Poznan.
In 15 matches as manager of the Berlin-based club, Nenad Bjelica has guided the club to just 6 victories, 2 draws, and 7 defeats across all competitions.
His stellar years in his coaching career so far were at Dinamo Zagreb, where he won 2 Croatian league titles, 1 Croatian Cup, and 1 Croatian Super Cup.
Having finished 4th in the German Bundesliga last campaign, The Iron Ones will be hoping to remain in the top flight this campaign, to aim for impressive heights next term.
Union Berlin return to action on Sunday, January 28, 2024, facing SV Darmstadt, in a Matchday 19 German Bundesliga clash.
They are 3 points clear of the drop zone and Nenad Bjelica will be hoping to stir the side to a respectable finish at the end of the season.