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Lehmann suspended after unauthorised Oktoberfest visit

Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has been suspended for Wednesday's German Cup match against VfB Lübeck because he attended Munich's beer festival last weekend after his side's defeat by Cologne.

Lehmann suspended after unauthorised Oktoberfest visit
Photo: DPA

The 39-year-old was suspended for the second-round match at Lübeck, and possibly this weekend’s Bundesliga game at Eintracht Frankfurt, after club officials heard he attended last Saturday’s festival opening without telling them.

“That evening, I drank only half a Radler [a beer and soda mix] and then mineral water after that,” Lehmann told Bild newspaper. “I drove myself home later on.”

Lehmann was at fault in Stuttgart’s 2-0 league defeat to Cologne, who picked up their first win of the season last Saturday.

Click here for a photo gallery of Oktoberfest.

He gifted Cologne their second goal when he raced out of his area only to lose possession and allow Willy Sanou to shoot into an empty net. Coach Markus Babbel said he will talk to the ex-Germany star about the unauthorised beer outing.

“On Thursday, Horst Heldt [Stuttgart’s team manager] and I will talk to Jens about this thing and we will see what happens after that,” said Babbel.

Lehmann seems to have accepted his punishment.

“The visit to Oktoberfest was for a charity event which had long since been planned, but had not been agreed with the club,” said the ex-Arsenal stalwart. “Of course, I accept the measures the club has taken.”

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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