GELSENKIRCHEN // The Schalke right-back Rafinha will be hit with a "painful" fine for playing for Brazil at the Olympics without the club's permission. The 22-year-old played his first game for the Royal Blues since returning from Beijing as his side went top of the league with a 1-0 home win over 10-man Bochum. But the Schalke general manager Andreas Muller insists the club will issue the player with a fine which will "hurt".
He said: "It will be a painful punishment, which would hurt anyone. By staying away for a long time he has gone against his contract many times. For me it is above all important to impose a penalty in order to make clear in the team that we will not stand for such behaviour." Rafinha should not have to pay any fine himself though, with the Brazilian FA likely to settle it on his behalf. Meanhwile, Hoffenheim's fairytale start to their debut season in the Bundesliga came to an end as they were went down 5-2 at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf criticised his side after their 3-2 defeat to new boys Borussia Moenchengladbach. He said: "There was a huge difference between us. We did not battle, did not want to run and had no passion. "Nobody on our side showed what Borussia did. You could see that just having [big-name] players is not enough to win games." * PA Sport