Tennis balls rain down on players during Bundesliga match

The match between Bochum and Union Berlin was stopped by the referee after 14 minutes with no score on the board as hundreds of tennis balls were thrown on to the field as part of a protest against the German football league (DFL) over plans to secure private equity inverstment in return for a share of television rights across the next two decades.

As balls were cleared from the field by a combination of players and stewards, chocolate coins came next, providing a welcome sugar hit for Bochum striker Takumi Asano, who was seen unwrapping and eating one.

Goncalo Panciencia and Kevin Stoger grabbed two more in the second half as Bochum went on to win 3-0, handing Union its 10th defeat of what has so far been a nightmare season as it fights for survival at the wrong end of the table.