1 April 2011 - Ironically, He Probably Could Have Used A Beer After That

On 1 April 2011, the match between Schalke and St. Pauli was abandoned after someone in the stands hit a linesman with a full cup of beer.

Playing at St. Pauli's Millerntor-Stadion, the hosts had already gone behind 2-0 after strikes from Raúl (26') and Julian Draxler (66'). They were also down to nine men, after St. Pauli defender Jan Philipp Kalle received a second yellow card in the 68th minute and midfielder Fin Bartels received a straight red for a foul on Schalke's Jefferson Farfán.

The home crowd had already been turned on the officials, pelting them with lighters and coins in the first half. But linesman Thorsten Schiffner drew particular attention after he disallowed a St. Pauli goal in the 60th minute for an offside violation. In the 89th minute, one disgruntled supporter threw a plastic cup full of beer, striking Schiffner in the back of the neck. Referee Denis Aytekin responded by immediately suspended the match.

St. Pauli manager Holger Stanislawski apologized to Schiffner and later told the press "Such scenes are unacceptable. These things should not happen in stadiums. I can only apologize to the assistant in the name of St. Pauli."

The German football association awarded the match as a 2-0 win to Schalke, who went on to finish in the Bundesliga's 14th spot, while St. Pauli's season ended in relegation.