The FC Bayern Munich’s 1-0 victory over Benfica Lisbon on Wednesday evening was overshadowed by a tragic death. Around the kickoff, a 66-year-old Luxembourger (residing in Pegnitz, in the Upper Franconian district of Bayreuth) suffered a heart attack in the stands, according to information from BILD.
Helpers and paramedics rushed to Block 226, and a doctor performed CPR for half an hour in the stands. However, despite being transported in the 33rd minute, the man tragically died en route to the Munich Heart Centre.
At 0:45, the club announced the death of the supporter: “About an hour after the final whistle (around midnight; editor’s note), the German record champions received the sad news that the fan had died on the way to the hospital. FC Bayern mourns alongside the family members.”
This was not only a tragic incident for the fans, who immediately stopped their support and songs starting from the 3rd minute for the rest of the evening, but it also deeply affected the Bayern stars.
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Coach Vincent Kompany (38) reflected post-match: “It is difficult to talk about football at this moment. We always hope that our fans and all fans return home safely. Unfortunately, that was not the case today. We didn’t celebrate as we normally would after the game.”
In the first half, many players had already noticed the absence of support from the Ultras in the south curve. During halftime, a large part of the team was informed around 21:45 that the lack of atmosphere was due to an emergency medical situation in the stands.
It was circulated that the incident involved a heart attack. However, Captain Manuel Neuer (38) and the players, like many of the 75,000 stadium attendees, were still unaware of the specifics at that moment.
After the final whistle, around 23:00, the team in the dressing room learned the full details of the emergency: a dramatic resuscitation attempt. The tragic death of the fan had not yet been confirmed, but the Kompany team reacted with dignity immediately.
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Neuer stated: “It is absolutely understandable why there was no support. We are very sorry. We also did not celebrate exuberantly in the dressing room over this victory. It was mentioned that there was this background.”
The shock among the stars was evident during interviews. Thomas Müller (35) especially appeared very subdued. He remarked: “When something like this happens, it is also a beautiful sign of solidarity that the fans do not throw their own party but instead show a bit of humanity.”
