Juergen Klopp has publicly criticised a 'brutal' Stuttgart following their Bundesliga clash with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Dortmund defeated the hosts 2-1 thanks to goals from substitute Lukasz Piszczek and striker Robert Lewandowski, ensuring that runaway league leaders Bayern Munich would have to wait at least another week before being crowned Bundesliga champions.
But the victory was tarnished for the coach by some unpleasant scenes and injuries to some of his key players, leading to the 45-year-old suggesting that Stuttgart were over physical.
Piszczek came on for Marcel Schmelzer in the 24th minute after the Germany international was hit in the face by a Martin Harnik boot.
"It was brutal. We have bumps on the head, gashed feet, and a broken nose for Marcel Schmelzer," Klopp told reporters.
"It (Schmelzer's nose) was definitely broken; it was pointing in multiple directions.
"There were so many scenes I don't like to see in football. It was always so insanely intense that it was too much for me - I was scared that there would be more (injuries).
"That hasn't happened to me very often in football, but it did today."
Some of Klopp's disappointment was directed towards referee Deniz Aytekin, who he felt poorly handled the match.
"It was quite a hard game for the referee to conduct - but (the brutality was such that) you must show more cards," he added.
Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller then reiterated his coach's statements, accusing the opposition of 'not playing football'.
"It's so unfair to play no football," complained the goalkeeper before confirming quite how dangerous some of the challenges were.
"Some of the situations were such that you could be severely injured. It wasn't necessary."
