A GERMAN Cup quarter-final was halted after an incredible wall of smoke from ultras left the pitch invisible. Koln posted a photo of the scary scene from their clash at Bayer Leverkusen and added the words: "The game has just been interrupted. You can see why.". Players had warmed up in ominous conditions - with smoke already descending across the pitch. And after just 13 minutes of action referee Frank Willenborg bowed to the inevitable by suspending play.
![[Smoke filling a stadium during a soccer game.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/koln.jpg?strip=all&w=597)
The smoke was so thick that spectators could barely see out of the stands - let alone onto the pitch. One fan said: "Everything is shrouded in thick fog" - which looked an understatement. And another blamed pyrotechnics from offending supporters as he blasted their "totally stupid" behaviour. A third observer reckoned the game "should be cancelled" due to the offenders. Play eventually resumed - with Damion Downs slotted the opener for Koln TEN MINUTES into the 11 minutes of first-half stoppage time.
![[Soccer player juggling ball in fog.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/edmond-tapsoba-bayer-04-leverkusen-969451432.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
