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Lehmann gets a warning and a fine for criticism

Dec 11, 2009, 17:08 GMT

Stuttgart - Former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was warned and fined by his Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart on Friday after criticising the circumstances of last weekend's sacking of coach Markus Babbel in an interview. 'We made it very clear that we will not tolerate this,' said Stuttgart president Erwin Staudt. The fine is said to be around 40,000 euros (59,000 dollars). Lehmann had suggested in an interview with Sky TV that club officials caved in to popular demand when they sacked Babbel on Sunday and replaced him with Swiss coach Christian Gross. Furious Stuttgart fans had blocked Stuttgart's team bus ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga game with VfL Bochum and hundreds of them tried to storm the club house after the 1-1 draw which left Stuttgart stranded in the drop zone. Stuttgart refrained from suspending Lehmann, 40, for the next match on Sunday in Mainz because he is badly needed. 'I need a team that sticks together. And Jens is a part of that. I believe he will play very well on Sunday,' said Gross. Stuttgart got a boost in midweek when they beat Romania's Unirea Urziceni 3-1 to reach the European Champions League round of 16.

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Lehmann gets a warning and a fine for criticism

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