On the terraces: Banner-gate returns in Bochum, Mainz anniversary choreo

In a weekly Newsletter, Matt Ford keeps an eye on the action off the pitch in the Bundesliga and German football, explaining what’s going on from fan protests to finances.

Banner-gate continued in Bochum on Saturday – quite literally as a banner blocking a gate caused kick-off against Eintracht Frankfurt to be delayed by almost an hour. It's not the first time that new health and safety regulations on the Castroper Straße have clashed with visiting ultras' views of what constitutes a free and independent fan culture, but if there was ever a time for compromise and cooperation, this is surely it. Elsewhere, Mainz 05 ultras produced huge banner as part of a spectacular choreography celebrating their club's 120^th anniversary. It gave star-striker Jonathan Burkardt "goosebumps" – but certainly wouldn't have been allowed in Bochum's away end.

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Matt Ford's "On the terraces" newsletter will continue to appear every week throughout the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Last season, the newsletter featured exclusive and in-depth coverage of the Bundesliga's private equity plans and the political intrigues at VfB Stuttgart, among other things. If you like what you see, please consider taking out a paid subscription.