Nmecha on collision with referee: "I could have gotten the ball" - Referee collision halts Bundesliga match between Dortmund and Augsburg
A Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Augsburg took an unexpected turn on 14 March 2026. The game was briefly stopped after referee Bastian Dankert collided with Augsburg's Felix Nmecha. The incident led to a yellow card and a short pause in play.
The collision happened as Nmecha challenged for the ball during Dortmund's 2-0 victory. Dankert went down and remained on the pitch for a moment before getting back up. Despite the impact, he chose to continue officiating after a quick assessment.
The referee later received medical attention for minor bruising, confirmed by the DFB. Tests showed no serious injury, and he returned to training the following day. Nmecha, meanwhile, downplayed the incident, saying, *'It didn't hurt me at all. I think it was just his back.'* He also expressed relief that Dankert was unharmed. Dankert briefly halted play to address the situation. He showed Nmecha a yellow card before resuming the match without further disruption.
The incident caused a short delay but had no lasting consequences. Dankert's quick recovery allowed him to return to work the next day. Nmecha's comments suggested the clash was accidental rather than aggressive.
