Darmstadt players accept fan criticism after 'catastrophic' showing

Darmstadt players have accepted harsh criticism from their fans in the wake of an embarrasing 6-0 home defeat against Augsburg for the Bundesliga bottom club.

In remarkable scenes, the team gathered in front of the stand of the die-hard fans, with one of them hitting out at the players in an emotional speech full of gestures. But the fans then applauded the team when it left for the dressing room.

"There were clear and unambiguous words, but it wasn't aggressive at all. That was completely fine," goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen said.

"After a defeat like that, we didn't deserve that much respect from people. They could have thrown things at us and insulted us, I would have put up with all that because we weren't worthy of wearing this shirt today."

Darmstadt conceded five goals in the opening 29 minutes of the heavy defeat, with Schuhen naming the performance "desolate, disappointing, catastrophic."

Darmstadt are four points behind Cologne in the relegation play-off spot and 12 adrift of Bochum in safe 15th.