Protests and fireworks: Three things from German football

BERLIN

Marcus Thuram, Jadon Sancho and Weston McKennie joined the protests against racism and police brutality in the US while Bayern Munich and head coach Hansi Flick sent records tumbling as his team stayed seven points clear.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the weekend in the German Bundesliga:

-- Borussia Dortmund's England winger Jadon Sancho, Moenchengladbach's French striker Marcus Thuram and Schalke's American midfielder Weston McKennie all took part in on-field protests after the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis.

Sancho scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Paderborn and revealed a "Justice for George Floyd" T-shirt Sunday.

The 20-year-old Sancho was booked after removing his jersey in the second half to reveal his message.

Sancho later wrote on Instagram: "Delighted to get my first career hat trick, a bittersweet moment personally as there are more important things going on in the world today that we must address and help make a change."

Thuram took a knee after heading in his team's second goal just before half-time in a 4-1 win over Union Berlin.

"When people say that they don't want to see political messages in sport, I have to say quite honestly, if this was an action to show that you are against racism, what can I say against it?" said Moenchengladbach coach Marco Rose.

"That is where I stand behind my player. I think if you stand up against racism in public, it's really okay."

US midfielder McKennie wore an armband against Werder Bremen bearing the words "Justice for George".
"To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on too long feels good!!!" he tweeted.

-- Having defeated second-placed Borussia Dortmund 1-0 away in midweek, Bayern enjoyed a 5-0 romp over Fortuna Duesseldorf to stay firmly on track for an eighth straight league crown.

Head coach Hansi Flick claimed his 22nd win in his first 25 games, the best record of any Bayern coach, bettering even the start Pep Guardiola made when he took charge in 2013.

"Statistics and records don't interest me, what's important is to have a successful season," said Flick.

-- Dynamo Dresden remain rock bottom of Bundesliga 2 after a 2-0 defeat to fallen giants Stuttgart.

Dresden had to delay their return from the coronavirus suspension earlier this month after two members of staff tested positive.

That put the entire squad into a 14-day quarantine.

Before their game at the weekend, fans staged a spectacular firework display with an accompanying banner which read: "Together against the rest of the world."

Sadly, such enthusiasm was absent on the pitch as the team's 84 days without football showed.

"We come from the balcony. We trained for two weeks in the living room and on the balcony," said despondent coach Markus Kauczinski.