Stunning scenes as referee postpones play by walking off the pitch

There were incredible scenes in the Bundesliga today, with the game between Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund coming to an abrupt halt after the referee decided to leave the game. 

In an extraordinary exchange, referee Felix Zwayer left the pitch after Leverkusen manager Roger Schmidt refused to be sent off at the BayArena. 

The fractious affair kicked-off after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted his 31st goal in all competitions for Dortmund, with Schmidt feeling aggrieved following a free-kick being taken from the wrong position in the lead up to the goal. 

Schmidt was given his marching orders by the referee but he refused to leave the pitch, with Zwayer deciding the best course of action was to postpone play in the 65th minute. 

65' The match is paused at the 65th minute after Roger #Schmidt refuses to be sent off the pitch and the referees leave instead. #B04BVB

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 21, 2016

??? #b04bvb 0-1

— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) February 21, 2016

In total, play was stopped for about eight minutes before the referee and teams re-emerged from the tunnel and play resumed.

Credit: Martin Meissner / AP/Press Association Images

The goal proved to be the winner, as Dortmund held on for a 1-0 victory. 

Felix Zwayer主審か
つい先日ELのヴィオラスパーズ吹いてた審判なのに pic.twitter.com/OmXpaKbDPv

— ヌワンコ・カヌーテ (@g_njitap) February 21, 2016

Stunning scenes at BayArena, where the ref has stormed off the pitch & down the tunnel after Leverkusen boss Schmidt refused to be sent off!

— Goal UK (@GoalUK) February 21, 2016

Comm on my feed says Schmidt didn't leave bc he wanted ref to send him off personally, not via 4th official. But who knows.

— Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) February 21, 2016

Match halted because Roger Schmidt did not leave the field. Officials left the field.

— Stefan Buczko (@bvbawesome) February 21, 2016

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