Castro slams DFL amid soaring temperatures

BERLIN: Gonzalo Castro has slammed the German Football League (DFL) for not delaying the kick-off time for Borussia Dortmund’s match which led to players struggling in sweltering temperatures.

Blue skies over Germany saw the mercury rise on the opening weekend of the league season, with Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park one of the worst affected during Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to Mainz.

Temperatures out on the pitch reportedly went as high as 45ºC and referee Robert Hartmann stopped the match twice for short drinks breaks.

But Dortmund’s Castro said the game should have been moved to an evening kick-off due to the extreme heat.

“The temperatures were borderline. I don’t understand why the DFL didn’t move the game to the evening,” said the ex-Germany international, who was substituted off after 59 minutes.

“You’d put in a sprint and you were absolutely exhausted.”

Germany winger Andre Schuerrle, who created the first goal and won the penalty which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converted to seal the victory, also bemoaned the conditions.

“The weather was extreme and brutal,” said Schuerrle.

“(In between runs) I was fighting for breath and I wanted to go and lay down in ice bath.” — AFP