The Bayern players celebrated their important victory with restraint in front of their fans. Sven Hoppe/dpa
The FC Bayern Munich’s win in the Champions League match against Benfica Lisbon has been overshadowed by a tragic incident. Approximately an hour after the final whistle, the German football record champions received “the sad news” that a fan had died en route to the hospital. The spectator had initially received medical attention in the stands shortly after kick-off before being transported away.
“FC Bayern stands in mourning with the relatives,” the club stated on its website. In a gesture of sympathy, the Bayern fans in the south stand refrained from their usual loud support during the match. “There are definitely more important things in life than football,” commented sporting director Max Eberl. He noted that the fans demonstrated appropriate respect through their conduct.
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Coach Vincent Kompany shared, “After the game, we didn’t celebrate much. The lads found out about it only after the match,” before the news of the death was revealed. Following the final whistle, the stadium announcer informed the sold-out 75,000-strong crowd about the incident and explained why the supporters had held back their cheers. Additionally, the music after the match, which was won by a header from Jamal Musiala, was noticeably subdued.
Bayern veteran Thomas Müller commented, “When something like this happens, it’s also in a way a nice sign of solidarity that the fans don’t prioritize their own celebration but instead show a sense of humanity.”
Captain Manuel Neuer empathized with the situation. “We are very sorry, and we didn’t celebrate excessively in the locker room about this win,” said the goalkeeper. “We share in the sentiment for the fan or the person involved.”
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