Aaron Hunt: Werder Bremen captain denies own team penalty

Werder Bremen captain Aaron Hunt denied his own team a penalty against German rivals Nuremberg - by admitting to the referee that he had not been fouled.

Hunt tumbled under a challenge from home defender Javier Pinola as Werder led 2-0 in Saturday's Bundesliga clash.

Referee Manuel Graefe pointed to the spot before the midfielder asked him to reverse the 75th-minute decision.

"Out of instinct, I wanted to provoke the penalty, but that was wrong," Hunt, 27, told German media afterwards.

Graefe awarded a drop-ball instead before 11th-placed Werder, who are now eight points above the relegation zone, saw out the 2-0 win.

"I struggled with myself a bit (to say something), but we don't want to win any games like that, even if we are in a relegation battle," added Germany international Hunt, who has an English mother.

His actions also drew praise from Argentine left-back Pinola. "I take my hat off to him," he said.