Jerome Boateng and Max Kruse tangle after Bayern Munich’s win over Werder Bremen

Werder Bremen’s captain, 31-year-old striker Max Kruse, is known for his temper. On the sidelines after Bayern Munich eliminated Werder Bremen from the semifinal of the DFB-Pokal, Kruse engaged in a shouting match with Bayern center-back Jerome Boateng, while head coach Niko Kovac found himself awkwardly attempting to separate the players.

Kruse had flown into a rage earlier in the match over the penalty awarded to Bayern for a foul on Kingsley Coman in the penalty area. But Kruse denied that the altercation with Boateng was over the penalty. He told the press afterward,

It’s not about the (penalty) scene. It was basically about the fact that he thinks that they deserved to win, that they should have led 4-0 at halftime.

Boateng’s view of the game touched a nerve. “He shouldn’t tall my ear off, but go celebrate with his fans. Something like that is normal in soccer,” Kruse concluded. Fortunately, nothing more came of the incident, and of course no cards were issued for pleasantries exchanged after the conclusion of the match.