Bremen, Germany (dpa) – Werder Bremen hailed joint-record goalscorer Claudio Pizarro the day after he equalled the record of Marco Bode but the German Football Association (DFB) said Sunday defender Papy Djilobodji faces an investigation.
«It is important to have such a player. This record is something for the statisticians but I will congratulate him and give him a kiss on the left and right cheeks,» Werder sport director Thomas Eichin said after Pizarro’s equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Mainz Saturday took him level with Bode on 101 Bundesliga goals for the club.
«I’m very happy, I’m pleased for Claudio,» coach Viktor Skripnik added.
The 37-year-old Peruvian striker was signed on a free transfer following his release by Bayern Munich at the end of last season but has turned into Werder’s main weapon in the fight against relegation.
Werder are just one point above the relegation play-off place and but for Pizarro’s 12 league goals this season would be in even deeper trouble. Pizarro has scored in the last three league games and added a hat-trick in the German Cup quarter-final win at Bayer Leverkusen.
«I had hoped that we would win when I score this (record-equalling) goal but unfortunately it didn’t work out today,» Pizarro said.
While Pizarro celebrates, team-mate Djilobodji faces an anxious wait to see if he faces sanction from the DFB control committee for making a cut-throat gesture to Pablo De Blasis of Mainz after a clash during the game.
«That was an unfair gesture, something must be done about it,» Mainz coach Martin Schmidt said. «This hand gesture does not belong on the pitch.»
Before the DFB opened the case, Eichin said he was not fearful of the action having repercussions and that «not every action has to be investigated.»
