Berlin (AFP) – Germany’s civil servants fired back on Wednesday after Borussia Dortmund boss Michael Zorc accused his team of playing like a bunch of bureaucrats.

“You played like civil servants!” Zorc told the Dortmund squad which passively threw away the lead in Monday’s 1-1 league draw at home to Augsburg.

Dortmund striker Michy Batshuayi, on loan from Chelsea, failed to score for the third match in a row as Marco Reus’s opening goal was cancelled out by Kevin Danso’s equaliser for Augsburg.

Zorc, Dortmund’s director of sport took umbrage at the performance, but Germany’s Civil Servants Union (DBB) were less impressed with his insult.

“A successful team needs a broader idea and suitable staff structure, every junior executive in public service knows that,” the DBB told Sky.

“Perhaps Mr Zorc should think before he makes such a nonsensical comparison.”

Dortmund are second in Germany’s top flight, but lag 19 points behind runaway league leaders Bayern Munich.