A masked fan pulled the plug on a VAR monitor during a German second division match on Sunday in a daring act of sabotage, leaving the referee looking at a blank screen when called to assess a possible penalty.
The bizarre incident took place during the Bundesliga 2 match between Preussen Münster and visiting Hertha Berlin, when referee Felix Bickel was called to the pitch monitor to discover someone had pulled the plug.
According to Münster’s website, a masked supporter had infiltrated the interior and disconnected the VAR monitor, sabotaging the review process. German media reported that home fans simultaneously displayed a banner reading ‘Pull the plug on VAR’.
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Because Bickel could not watch the replay, VAR official Katrin Rafalski in Cologne was forced to make the decision remotely. He ruled that the challenge was indeed a foul, prompting Bickel to award the penalty, which Hertha duly converted.
The Berlin team eventually won the match 2-1 with an injury time goal.
Münster later said that the incident appeared to be a planned action and that the club would do everything possible to identify those responsible.
Published on March 9, 2026
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