Arsenal legend Jens Lehmann was allegedly pulled over by police on suspicion of drink driving in Germany, according to reports. Lehmann, who was part of the Invincibles team, had been in attendance at the world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich on Sunday.
After leaving the event in his car, the 54-year-old was ‘stopped by police’ in the early hours of the morning. According to The Sun, local police have confiscated Lehmann’s driving licence while they investigate the allegations further.
Senior public prosecutor Anne Leiding was quoted as saying: “Mr. Lehmann was subjected to a police check on September 23, 2024 at around 1:30 a.m. due to his unusual driving behaviour in a car in the inner city area of Munich.
“The police are said to have noticed a clear smell of alcohol and an unsafe manner. A breath alcohol test did not produce any usable results, whereupon a blood sample was ordered and the driver’s licence was confiscated.
“Our investigations are still pending. Suspicions of drunk driving continue.”
Lehmann was reportedly wearing full traditional Bavarian dress, including Lederhosen, while at the beer festival on Sunday. Quizzed on the allegations by German newspaper Bild, he said: “I can’t say anything about it at the moment.”
The former Arsenal stopper lives in Starnberg, a small town in Bavaria around 18 miles southwest of Munich. He is said to be a regular at Oktoberfest, a famous festival in the city which is known for its gigantic beer halls and carnival attractions.
Lehmann played for the Gunners between 2003 and 2008 and formed part of the Invincibles team which went unbeaten in the Premier League. He also won the FA Cup during his five-year spell in north London before joining Stuttgart.
While at Arsenal, Lehmann played in the Champions League final in 2006 but was sent off in the 18th minute for a foul on Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o. To this day, he remains the only goalkeeper to have ever been sent off in a Champions League or European Cup final.
Lehmann also played for Schalke, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund and won 61 caps for Germany. His finest moment at international level came when he saved two penalties in a shoot-out victory over Argentina at the World Cup in 2006.
He has mainly worked in punditry since retiring from football but has also held coaching roles at Arsenal and Augsburg.
