Soccer fan groups across Germany plan to fall silent at games this weekend to protest the Bundesliga’s plan to sell a stake in TV and marketing income to an outside investor.
Fan clubs and groups known as “ultras” from many of Germany’s largest clubs, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, on Friday said that they would fall silent for the first 12 minutes of their teams’ upcoming games in a reference to the influence of fans as the proverbial 12th player of a soccer team.
“We are not prepared to stand idly by as German soccer gets sold out,” the groups said in a joint statement.
Photo: Reuters
The protests made their mark on games in the top two divisions on Friday. Fans forced a five-minute stoppage by throwing chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil onto the field after keeping quiet for the first 12 minutes of Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen. A second-division game was briefly halted after fans lit flares.
Supporters have been protesting with banners at Bundesliga games for months and fear an investor could pressure the league to change how the competition is run and focus more on TV viewers than the fans in the stadiums.
The fan groups say their “biggest weapon” is the way that the Bundesliga’s marketing focuses heavily on Germany’s packed stadiums and passionate crowds.
Photo: AP
SERIE A
AP, TURIN, Italy
Juventus on Friday missed a chance to return to the top of the Serie A table when Genoa came from behind to draw 1-1.
The Turin giants started the day two points behind leaders Inter and although the gap was halved, Inter can extend their lead today with a win against SS Lazio.
At times Friday’s match seemed like a personal duel between Genoa goalkeeper Josep Martinez and Juventus striker Federico Chiesa.
Chiesa had a good shot saved by Martinez early and they were at the center of the action again when the deadlock was broken after 28 minutes.
Martinez brought Chiesa down inside the box and the forward hammered home the penalty.
However, the home side got an equalizer three minutes into the second half thanks to Albert Gudmundsson, who finished a spectacular move by volleying in from close range.
PREMIER LEAGUE
AP, NOTTINGHAM, England
Dejan Kulusevski on Friday set up a goal and scored another as Tottenham Hotspur gained ground on the top four by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 in the Premier League.
The Sweden midfielder collected goalkeeper Matt Turner’s sloppy clearance and fired through the US international’s hands from a tight angle in the 65th minute.
Earlier, Kulusevski sent a cross for Richarlison to head into the net in first-half stoppage time.
LIGUE 1
AFP, MONACO
An 85th-minute winner from Jeffinho on Friday gave Olympique Lyonnais a 1-0 away victory against AS Monaco, moving the seven-times Ligue 1 champions out of the automatic relegation spots.
LA LIGA
AP, MADRID
Raul Garcia on Friday scored with a header deep into stoppage-time to give CA Osasuna a 1-0 win at home against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
Osasuna’s first win in seven league games lifted them two places into 12th. Rayo Vallecano remained 10th.
CLUB WORLD CUP
AP, JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia
Karim Benzema on Friday had a penalty saved in Al-Ittihad’s loss at the FIFA Club World Cup as the Saudi Arabian champions exited their home tournament before Manchester City and Fluminense even arrived.
Benzema’s spot-kick to level against Al Ahly in the 45th minute was hit too straight at goalkeeper Mohamed el-Shenawy, and the champions of Africa from Egypt went on to beat Al-Ittihad 3-1 in their second-round game.
Al Ahly next face Fluminense, the champions of South America from Brazil, in the semi-finals tomorrow, while Champions League winners Manchester City are to play Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan on Tuesday.
Urawa beat Leon of Mexico, the CONCACAF Champions League titleholder, 1-0 in the earlier game on Friday at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, with Ali Maaloul scoring from a penalty awarded for handball.
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