After the south curve ban, a Bayern fan club boss takes a hard line against the Pyro-Ultras and speaks of damage to thousands of fans.
FC Bayern’s decision to close the entire south curve for the upcoming Champions League home game against Union Saint-Gilloise continues to cause massive discussions. While the record champions are reacting consistently to the repeated pyrotechnic incidents, anger is growing among many uninvolved fans – and now also publicly among the fan clubs.
Bernd Hofmann, chairman of the Nabburg/Upper Palatinate fan club, was particularly clear. The 76-year-old takes the Ultras responsible seriously into court and finds clear words for the behavior of the Zündlers. In his opinion, it is consciously accepted that the fans who want to support FC Bayern loudly and peacefully are the ones who suffer. “Unfortunately, the incorrigible pyrotechnicians don’t care about the tens of thousands of fans who go to the stadium and just want to watch good football and support the team loudly,” among other things.
“The people responsible don’t care about that either.”
Hofmann particularly criticizes the practical and financial consequences of the complete closure. “The Nabburg fan club and many others have suffered damage as a result of this measure by the club, because now we can no longer travel with a fully occupied bus, but only with a half-occupied bus – but those responsible don’t care about that either.”
From his point of view, it is particularly annoying that those responsible for the pyrotechnics do not take these consequences into account. Even if the ticket costs were reimbursed, the damage to the fan clubs would remain real – both financially and in terms of time.
In addition, Hofmann also expressed concerns about security in the stadium. Pyrotechnics are banned in German stadiums, there is nothing to change that. Anyone who ignores these rules is acting negligently and, in the worst case, risks serious injury. It is precisely this irresponsibility that is increasingly met with incomprehension among many long-time fans.
According to information from BILD Several fan clubs and many Bayern supporters share Hofmann’s point of view. Despite its own disadvantages, there is widespread support for the club’s tough approach to the pyrotechnic incidents. The hope of many fans: a clear signal that emotional support must have nothing to do with danger or sanctions at the expense of the majority.
However, FC Bayern left a small back door open. If technical solutions are found to specifically exclude those responsible and allow uninvolved fans back in, the south curve could still be partially opened. Whether and how this will be implemented remains to be seen. However, one thing is already clear: the internal conflict within the Bayern fan scene has broken out openly.
