The second league has a new attractive figure. Last week, Fabian Reese from VfL Wolfsburg spoke noticeably affected by the whistles from opposing fans and admitted: “That hurts me.” This time even the opponent's coach vehemently stood in front of the factory club's star and criticized his own fans.
Cottbus coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz clearly attacked the Energie supporters because they had constantly booed Reese from the guest block. "What's the point of that? I think it's impossible," said the 61-year-old - and made such fan behavior a problem for the entire league: "I think that all clubs have to stand up and say: You can't do that! That's an absolute no-go! That's embarrassing, really embarrassing."
It is now so rare in German football for coaches or club representatives to position themselves so clearly against their own fans that Wollitz's statement even overshadowed one of the most spectacular games of the season so far. The newly promoted Cottbus scored against the big promotion favorites Wolfsburg in added time to make it 4:4 (1:3), even though they were already 0:3 behind after less than 35 minutes.
But the successful FC Energie coach was so bothered by his dealings with Reese that he questioned his own future in Cottbus, even if only in hints. “A boy, 28, 29 years old, who has this dream of playing football, who has this dream of being promoted: They are completely destroying him,” said Wollitz about his own fans. "And they go home and laugh their heads off about it. Then it will be difficult for me to continue doing this work in Cottbus the way I do it. Because I can't accept that."
There are various reasons why the 28-year-old Reese has become such a red flag for many fans. The Kiel native last played for Hertha BSC for three years. He announced his commitment to the club and the city he loves, Berlin, among other things, with a publicly celebrated contract extension in May 2025.
A year later, he still went to VfL Wolfsburg for around eight million euros - because he sees greater opportunities for promotion there and because Hertha urgently needed the money this summer. "The clubs have come to an agreement to make this change possible. Hertha BSC probably got a license through him and he is held responsible for the fact that the location here in Wolfsburg has the opportunity to sign such players. For me that is absurd, disrespectful, to destroy such a young player like that," complained Wollitz. Since switching to the title favorite, Reese has initially only been met with hostility on social networks and now also in the stadium.
Reese had already suspected that there might be problems. “Sometimes it is the case that positive feelings turn negative, towards disappointment, resentment, and sometimes, unfortunately, hatred,” he told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” back in August. “If anyone has lost faith in the romance of football because of my move, then I am sincerely sorry.” But he "never consciously wanted to polarize. I really didn't see it coming that my person would become such a political issue."
The Volkswagen club Wolfsburg is also seen as an enemy for many opposing fans. Despite relegation from the Bundesliga, VfL invested almost 30 million euros in new players.
“I hope that the club and him stay strong and find the right answer on the pitch,” said Wollitz: “Every goal, every goal preparation, every success for VfL Wolfsburg is the right argument and the person as a player deserves this support,” said the Cottbus coach.
Wollitz and Wolfsburg's captain Hauke Wahl don't think dealing with Reese is just a problem for football alone. They also see it as a sign of general social brutalization.
“We live in a very strange society in which people no longer begrudge anyone else and in which there is a lot of envy,” said Wahl after the Cottbus game. "For example, against Altglienicke, people come to the stadium just to rant. I don't understand what's going on in their lives and why they feel better when they put other people down."
Reese's trainer Tobias Strobl expressly thanked Wollitz for his clear words. “That’s why I appreciate Pelé,” he said – and also became fundamental in the direction of the Cottbus fans: “Everyone who whistles should ask themselves: What if he stood there or his son, his child stood there?”
