Bayern supporters call out Glazers and Sheikhs during UCL tie against Manchester City, raise banners showing ‘all autocrats out’

The two sides faced off in the Champions League Quarter final at the Etihad Stadium

Bayern supporters call out Glazers and Sheikhs during UCL tie against Manchester City, raise banners showing ‘all autocrats out’

Bayern Munich supporters unfurled a banner reading, “Glazers. Sheikh Mansour. All autocrats out! Football belongs to the people.” in their recent Champions League clash against Manchester City. The poster was meant to highlight the differences between the two countries’ footballing structures.

The Abu Dhabi-owned club is known for its extravagant spending in the transfer market. Sheik Mansour and the Glazers family have pumped ludicrous amounts of money into their clubs since their ownership back in 2008. Over the last decade, the two Manchester clubs both have a net spend in excess of $1 billion. Compare that to Bayern Munich, which are majorly a fan-run club who have spent just under $400 million.

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Despite the difference in the funds of the clubs, Bayern Munich won the Champions League on two occasions during that period, whereas both Manchester clubs are yet to win one. The banner was meant to target the clubs for their spending in the transfer market. The German club believe that autocrats are “killing” the beautiful game.

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However, despite Bayern’s support being as loud as usual, the Manchester club had no trouble dismantling them. The Cityzens thrashed the Bavarians 3-0 at the Etihad. Bayern Munich will need some sort of a miracle if they wish to progress to the Semi-Finals of the UCL this season.

In case you missed it: “Absolute clowns; Board is a complete failure”- Bayern fans hold team’s management responsible for UCL loss against Manchester City

RB Leipzig and the 50+1 rule

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credits: Twitter

German football has a special “50+1” rule regarding club ownership. According to the rule, a club must have a majority of its ownership in the hands of the fans in order to be approved to compete in the league. RB Leipzig, however, have found a loophole in this rule, and are competing in the Bundesliga being solely owned by Red Bull.

RB Leipzig were founded in 2009. When the club was first introduced, it had 17 paying members, compared to Borussia Dortmund’s 170,000. All of their members were a part of the Red Bull organization. Hence, the Energy Drink brand unofficially obtained ownership of the club.

The club could now receive huge sums of money from their “members” who were just part of Red Bull’s hierarchy. Since German football does not allow for the name of a company in the name of a club, RB Leipzig does not stand for “Red Bull Leipzig”, but “Rassen Ballsport Leipzig”. The club is abbreviated to RB Leipzig, which to an outsider, paired with the brand’s logo on the club’s crest, seems to be Red Bull Leipzig.

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RB Leipzig are one of the most disliked clubs in Bundesliga. A majority of the other clubs’ fanbases believe that Die Roten Bullen are destroying what makes German football unique. German clubs hardly receive any investors due to them not being able to acquire a majority stake.

This is a double-edged situation as the clubs are run by the fans, but lack the necessary investment to compete for titles at Europe’s grandest stage on a regular basis. Since 1984, only two clubs have won the Champions League from German origin, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

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