DistantNews
Support us
🇩🇪 Germany /Sports

Fans Boo Wolfsburg Player Reese, Cottbus Coach Attacks His Own Supporters

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Context piece
  • Energie Cottbus coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz condemned his club's fans for repeatedly booing Wolfsburg player Fabian Reese during a 4-4 draw.
  • Wollitz said such behavior was unacceptable across the league and suggested it could affect his future at Cottbus.
  • Reese has faced hostility since leaving Hertha Berlin for Wolfsburg in a transfer motivated by greater promotion prospects and Hertha's financial needs.

Fabian Reese has become a new target of hostility in Germany's second division, but after Energie Cottbus fans repeatedly booed him from the away section, the strongest defense came from the opposing coach. Claus-Dieter Wollitz turned on his own supporters in unusually direct terms.

What is that supposed to be? I find it impossible.

· Claus-Dieter WollitzThe Cottbus coach criticized his own fans for repeatedly booing Fabian Reese.

“What is that supposed to be? I find it impossible,” said the 61-year-old coach. He called on clubs across the league to take a stand against such behavior, saying: “That is an absolute no-go!” Coaches and club officials rarely position themselves so clearly against their own fans, and Wollitz's statement overshadowed an extraordinary match.

Cottbus, newly promoted, came back from 3-0 down in less than 35 minutes to draw 4-4 at Wolfsburg, one of the major promotion favorites. Yet Wollitz was more troubled by the treatment of Reese. Speaking about the 28-year-old Wolfsburg player, he said the fans were destroying the dream of a young footballer who wanted to play and earn promotion. “Then it becomes difficult for me to continue doing my work in Cottbus as I do,” Wollitz said. “Because I cannot accept that.”

That is an absolute no-go!

· Claus-Dieter WollitzWollitz called on clubs across the league to oppose the treatment of players in this way.

Reese's move has made him especially polarizing. He spent three years at Hertha BSC and publicly celebrated his attachment to the club and Berlin when he extended his contract in May 2025. A year later, he joined Wolfsburg for about eight million euros, seeking better promotion chances while Hertha urgently needed the money. Hostility first appeared on social media and then reached stadiums.

Then it becomes difficult for me to continue doing my work in Cottbus as I do. Because I cannot accept that.

· Claus-Dieter WollitzHe warned that the abuse of Reese could affect his ability to continue working at Cottbus.

“Sometimes positive feelings turn negative, toward disappointment, resentment and, unfortunately, sometimes hatred,” Reese told the Süddeutsche Zeitung in August. He said he was genuinely sorry if his transfer had caused someone to lose faith in football romance, but insisted he had never deliberately sought to divide opinion.

Sometimes positive feelings turn negative, toward disappointment, resentment and, unfortunately, sometimes hatred.

· Fabian ReeseReese described the reaction to his transfer from Hertha Berlin to Wolfsburg.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog