Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League victory over Benfica on Wednesday was overshadowed by the tragic death of a fan.
About an hour after the final whistle, the German club shared “the sad news” that a fan had died on the way to the hospital.
The spectator had fallen ill shortly after kickoff and received emergency medical treatment in the stands before being transported to the hospital.
“FC Bayern is in mourning alongside their relatives,” the club wrote in a press release on its website. Out of respect, Bayern fans in the south curve area, where the supporters sit, refrained from their usual loud support during the match.
“There are definitely more important things in life than football,” said sporting director Max Eberl, adding that fans showed appropriate respect with their behavior.
“After the game, we didn’t celebrate much,” coach Vincent Kompany said. He noted that the team only learned of the fan’s death after the match.
Following the final whistle, the stadium announcer informed the sold-out 75,000-seat arena about the incident and the absence of fans’ cheering.
Music was also more subdued than usual after the match, which was won by a header from Jamal Musiala.
