Labbadia fined for 'joke' penalty comment

The DFB has taken a dim view of the 49-year-old's comments about referee Deniz Aytekin, who awarded a penalty in the 79th minute which sealed Hamburg's 2-1 defeat at Cologne at the end of August.

After Hamburg defender Emir Spahic got the slightest of touches on Cologne striker Anthony Modeste as he stumbled on the ball, Aytekin awarded a penalty and sent off Spahic, who then served a mandatory one-match suspension.

Modeste slotted home the resulting spot-kick, which enraged Hamburg coach Labbadia, while even Cologne boss Peter Stoeger said "from 50 metres away, I wouldn't have given the penalty".

"I have to say the penalty was a joke," fumed Labbadia at the time.

"Anthony Modeste stumbled over the ball, but the DFB will probably suspend Emir Spahic, because they have to make some sense of the red card decision."

Labbadia now has 24 hours to appeal the decision and request a hearing at the DFB's disciplinary committee.

Hamburg have only lost twice this season -- at Cologne and a 5-0 thrashing at defending champions Bayern Munich on the opening day -- and are tenth in the table before Tuesday's game at Ingolstadt.