Before duel with Shakhtar –
At least YB doesn’t have to fear a boycott
On Wednesday the Bernese will be playing in the Champions League in Gelsenkirchen. For them it’s something like the game of last chance.
Published: November 5, 2024, 7:47 p.m
He is suspended from the league, but YB can count on Joël Monteiro in the Champions League.
Photo: Peter Schneider
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- Bayern fans are protesting against high ticket prices for the Shakhtar match in December.
- YB has to score against Shakhtar in order to maintain their chances of progressing.
- Defender Lewin Blum has to help out in an unusual position.
The Young Boys don’t have to fear a boycott from their fans. Unlike Bayern Munich: Their supporters quickly called for this to happen for the game at Shakhtar Donetsk. The reason: The Ukrainian club plays its home games in the Champions League in Gelsenkirchen because of the Russian war of aggression and relies on a dynamic pricing system. This meant that Bayern fans would have paid more than three times as much for seats as those of YB. This caused anger and a wave of cancellations. Instead of the initial 55,000 Bayern fans, only 19,000 now want to attend the game in December.
The backdrop will probably still be much more impressive than on Wednesday evening. The Young Boys are expecting around 800 of their fans, while Uefa is expecting a total of around 20,000 spectators at best. The Veltins Arena should only be a third full at most.
So it will be an unusual away game for the Bernese. The fact that it takes place on neutral ground is an advantage that must be exploited. If they want to continue to hope to advance, they probably need a win when looking at the rest of the schedule. Eight to nine points are probably needed after eight rounds.
Blum’s beautiful memory
Shakhtar is no longer the proud club it once was. Many of the top performers did not return after the outbreak of war in 2022. The Ukrainians are third in the league and have one point in the Champions League thanks to a 0-0 draw at the start in Bologna. The star of the team is offensive player Heorhij Sudakov. The 22-year-old’s market value is estimated at 35 million euros. YB coach Joël Magnin is preparing for a strong opponent who will operate a lot on the wings. That’s what he said on Tuesday in Gelsenkirchen.
Next to him sits Lewin Blum, actually a right-back, but recently a substitute at the back left. Jaouen Hadjam and Abdu Conté were also injured over the weekend, and now Blum is required in this position. He says his right foot is stronger, but then he refers with a smile to his goal against Red Star in the Champions League almost a year ago. He achieved this with his left.
Gäub-Schwarzi-Poscht
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Dominic Wuillemin works as a sports editor at Tamedia and has been writing about sports topics since 2010 – with a focus on football.More info
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