But Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer was beaming after the team, being held 0-0 by neighbors 1860 Munich at the time of coach Otto Rehhagel's controversial 73rd-minute decision Saturday, reacted to win 2-0 and surge clear at the top of the table.
Bayern is five points ahead of three second-placed teams, St Pauli, Hansa Rostock and Borussia M?nchengladbach after only four rounds of the championship.
Bayern had 12 men on the field for a good 10 seconds as a shocked Klinsmann failed to realize he had been substituted in favor of Christian Nerlinger.
Television close-up pictures showed him pale, angry and complaining until Rehhagel sat down beside him and talked with him briefly.
Rehhagel declined to repeat what he had said. "That is top secret," he said.
Klinsmann disappeared into a taxi after showering and did not speak to reporters.
After the match, a defiant Rehhagel said: "I'll make the same change again next time if I think it is necessary."
Papin and Austrian international Andres Herzog, also replaced in the second half, were not pleased either.
But Beckenbauer was singing Rehhagel's praises as the man who can make Bayern champions again.
"The way he sat next to Klinsmann shows that he recognized the situation," Beckenbauer wrote in Bild.
"Of course every player has a certain amount of ego. Of course Klinsmann did not leave willingly, but everyone has to put himself at the service of the team, even Klinsmann."
Meanwhile, champion Borussia Dortmund had to come from behind against Borussia M?nchengladbach to register its first win, 2-1. M?nchengladbach fell into a second-place tie with St. Pauli and Hans Rostock.
(For other results, see Scorecard.)
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