Borussia Dortmund have clamped down on their dressing room protocols by banning all family members from the area after Saturday’s reported incident involving Jobe Bellingham’s father.
Leading 3-1 at St Pauli in the 85th minute of their Bundesliga season-opener, Dortmund squandered their advantage to draw 3-3.
The tension around that result was only reportedly heightened by Bellingham’s parents, Mark and Denise, who left unhappy after seeing their son substituted off at half-time on his German top-flight debut and waited in the tunnel at full-time to confront the Dortmund hierarchy about it.
According to Sky Sports Germany, Mark, who also acts as his son’s advisor, held an emotional discussion with Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
The report claims Bellingham senior voiced his frustration over both the substitution and the team’s overall performance.
BILD added that Mark Bellingham sought a meeting with manager Niko Kovac directly – and ‘made no secret of his opinion.’
Jobe Bellingham’s (left) parents Denise and Mark have been banned from Borussia Dortmund’s dressing room after the latter’s reported outburst after their 3-3 draw at St Pauli on Saturday
Bellingham’s parents were unhappy at seeing their son substituted off at half-time at St Pauli
Mark Bellingham reportedly tried to confront the Dortmund manager over his son’s subbing
Some Dortmund players are also said to have noticed how emotional he was, with his anger reportedly fuelled by both his son’s early substitution and the disappointing display.
But speaking about the situation on Sunday evening, Dortmund’s managing director Lars Ricken played down the nature of the chat insisting it was ‘not a problem’ but did confirm that an incident like this will not happen in future with family members now banned from that area.
‘We got Jobe Bellingham because we really built a relationship of trust with the parents over the years. Now the family flew in especially for their son’s first Bundesliga game and wanted to meet Jobe after the game,’ Ricken told Sky90 – The Football Debate.
‘They stood in the hallway to the locker room and had an emotional conversation with Sebastian, which, however, is not a problem at all given this relationship.
‘In the future though, we will ensure that players, coaches, and any officials have access to the locker room area, so that we no longer get into trouble by commenting on such news.
‘But today everything has been resolved – no drama.’
Nineteen-year-old Bellingham, who joined Dortmund this summer in a £32million move from Sunderland, started Saturday’s clash away at St Pauli but was withdrawn at the interval by Kovac after an ineffective first half.
Dortmund had looked in control with a 3-1 lead, only to concede twice in the final four minutes and leave Hamburg with a single point.
It is said Mark sought a meeting with Niko Kovac (pictured) and ‘made no secret of his opinion’
Dortmund chief Lars Ricken confirmed family members can not now visit the dressing room
Jobe is the younger brother of Jude Bellingham, pictured (second right) with his family after signing for Real Madrid from Dortmund in June 2023
The Bellinghams pictured together during a family holiday to Croatia in the summer of 2021
Kovac admitted afterwards: ‘When you lead 3-1, then you cannot play a 3-3 even against this very good St Pauli team.’
Jobe, who wears the No 7 shirt, has already featured at the FIFA Club World Cup since completing his big-money switch and came off the bench in Dortmund’s German Cup win over Rot-Weiss Essen earlier this month.
But Saturday marked his Bundesliga debut – one cut short after just 45 minutes.
The midfielder joined Dortmund in June after helping Sunderland win promotion from the Championship, signing a five-year deal.
His transfer fee, worth an initial £27.8m plus add-ons, set a new record for the Wearside club.
Despite the family connection, Jobe insisted at the time he had not crossed to Germany simply to follow in his elder brother Jude’s footsteps.
Real Madrid star Jude previously spent three years at Dortmund before completing his blockbuster switch to Spain in 2023.
Saturday’s clash in Hamburg was only Jobe’s sixth competitive outing for Dortmund.
