Borussia Dortmund have banned family members from their dressing room after Jobe Bellingham’s father, Mark, confronted club officials over his son’s substitution during Saturday’s 3-3 draw at St Pauli.
Borussia Dortmund have barred family members from their dressing room following an incident involving Jobe Bellingham’s parents during Saturday’s Bundesliga opener at St Pauli. The 19-year-old midfielder, who joined Dortmund from Sunderland in a £32 million deal this summer, was substituted at half-time on his league debut. His father, Mark Bellingham, reportedly confronted sporting director Sebastian Kehl in the tunnel and sought to challenge head coach Niko Kovac, expressing frustration at both the substitution and Dortmund’s collapse from 3-1 ahead to a 3-3 draw.
According to Sky Sports Germany and BILD, Mark, who also advises his son, “made no secret of his opinion.” On Sunday, Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken confirmed the family will no longer be permitted in the locker room, though he downplayed the confrontation, saying it was “not a problem” but stressing protocols would be enforced. “In the future though, we will ensure that players, coaches, and any officials have access to the locker room area,” Ricken said.