Niclas Füllkrug admits long stoppages caused by fan protests are not ideal for players

Niclas Füllkrug has admitted that protests from supporters against external investments in the DFL are not ideal for the players due to the long stoppages in play.

Borussia Dortmund supporters continued their protests against the DFL's decision to bring in external investors on Friday, as they held up banners and threw chocolate coins and tennis balls onto the pitch during the Bundesliga clash against SC Freiburg at the Westfalenstadion. The protests resulted in play being stopped for ten minutes, as stewards and players had to pick up the debris from the pitch.

Emre Can even tried to mediate with the supporters to get them to stop throwing objects onto the pitch, but to no avail. Fan protests against the DFL have been ongoing across the first two divisions of German football over the last few months.

Niclas Füllkrug shared his opinion on the protests after the game. The Borussia Dortmund striker said that while understands the fans' desire to express their opinion, the long stoppages in play are not ideal for the players.

"It's important to stay relaxed and not let it get to you, because it's easy to get upset," Füllkrug told DAZN. "Of course I can understand the fans wanting to use this stage here to express their opinion, but whether that's right or wrong remains to be seen. I can only judge the sporting side of things and of course it's not great when there are so many interruptions, regardless of your opinion. It's also not great for the players' bodies, as it's not exactly 20 or 25 degrees out there. It's not an ideal situation for us players."

The DFL received the green light to bring external investors into German football in November, after 24 clubs from the top two divisions voted in favour of the plan.