Following scathing criticism of the referee: DFB slaps Bundesliga manager with hefty fine

Following the 1-2 defeat in their battle to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga, Blessin had recently expressed his frustration with referee Florian Badstübner during the match against SC Freiburg and, according to the DFB, “called his impartiality into question”.

“My team didn’t play against eleven men, but against twelve, and that was the referee,” Blessin had said, among other things, on DAZN: “There were lots of little things. When a referee gives me a yellow card and actually smiles mockingly at me while doing so, I find that disrespectful. Even if I’m emotional on the touchline. Before the first goal, there were also three situations where he let play continue. Now you can say again, ‘bad loser, it’s all fine.’”

At the post-match press conference, Blessin expressed regret over his choice of words. "The comment I made on DAZN wasn’t the best. It was said in the heat of the moment; you have to give me that," he said: "There’s a lot at stake here."