Time for a chat: VfB Stuttgart coach Christian
Gross will have to smooth things out with Jens Lehmann
Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has landed himself in
hot water again after his latest escapade ruined his side's chances
of picking up their first win in nine Bundesliga
games.
The 40-year-old gave away an unnecessary late penalty and
received a red card in the 1-1 draw with Mainz before exiting the
stadium and making his own way home, after a confrontation with a
fan.
The drama unfolded in the 86th minute of the game at the
Bruchweg Stadion, with the Bundesliga strugglers winning 1-0 thanks
to Pavel Pogrebnyak's 11th-minute opener.
He started it: Jens Lehmann is treated after a foul
by Aristide Bance...
...so the ex-Arsenal keeper tries to stamp out the
problem...
...gets a red card for his troubles...
...and Eugen Polanski scores from the resulting
penalty
Lehmann had possession of the ball within his penalty
area when he decided to take revenge for an earlier foul on him by
Mainz striker Aristide Bance by stamping on his foot.
Bance fell to the floor and referee Wolfgang Stark showed
Lehmann the red card and awarded the hosts a penalty, which Eugen
Polanski dispatched past Sven Ulreich to earn Mainz a point.
Lehmann fled from the stadium in a rage, confronting one fan
outside the ground.
Television pictures showed a clearly incensed Lehmann pull the
fan's glasses from his face and only give them back after the fan
pleaded for their return.
The former
Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper then called for a taxi
before opting instead to get on the team bus.
He did not remain on the bus for long, however, as he had a
change of heart once again and took a taxi to Frankfurt airport,
from where he flew back to his family in Munich.
Lehmann was fined 40,000 euros last week for criticising his
club and further disciplinary measures can now be expected.
'That was unnecessary,' said coach Christian Gross. 'I will talk
to him about it. It is a delicate situation. I know Jens Lehmann as
a footballer, but not yet as a person.'
Despite a turbulent week, Lehmann's place in the
Stuttgart goal does not appear to be under threat amid rumours he
may decide to hang up his gloves this winter - six months ahead of
plan.
'I cannot imagine that,' said director of sport Horst Heldt. 'He
will be suspended, but he still has a contract until June 30, 2010.
'It is a shame that it came to this because he had made some
fantastic saves. I am going to have to have a word with him.'
Lehmann was caught on camera urinating behind the goal during
Stuttgart's 3-1 Champions League defeat of Unirea Urziceni,
appearing to stop midway through as the Romanians mounted an attack
and vaulted to advertising boards to regain his place between the
sticks.
