BAYERN MUNICH GAME

BAYERN MUNICH GAME

Conor, Marcus and Dario with a group of Bayern fans outside the Allianz Stadium.  We got them to sing "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie," which the fans all loved.

This is a great story.  When we first mentioned the idea of us moving to Israel, Dario, in particular, was not fussed about the idea - understandably for a 9 year old.  He suggested we move to Amsterdam instead. In order to sweeten the deal I jokingly said that we might be able to go to a Bayern Munich game.

Dario is OBSESSED by football (soccer) and his favourite player is a Dutch fellow, Arjen Robben, who plays for Bayern Munich.  Dario lives in Robben's jersey and signs his name Dario Robben.  I regretted making the suggestion that we attend one of Bayern's matches after I started asking German friends about how I might be able to secure tickets for a game.  "Are you kidding?" they'd say.  "Those games sell out five years in advance."  I started searching online for tickets and found a couple, which were very expensive.  To fly to Munich, stay there and pay top dollar for tickets seemed too indulgent, so I feared it may not happen.

One Sunday morning, a couple of months before we were to leave for Israel, my sister-in-law, Lindy, who lives in Holland and knows nothing about football, sent me an email saying: "Dear all, Guess what - I have arranged tickets for you all for the match Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart!"  Lindy had just had a tennis game with a colleague who she realised was the FATHER of ARJEN ROBBEN! :)  She told him about our family and how we were hoping to go to a game.  He said that all the tickets are usually sold out but that he might be able to get us some tickets.  We couldn't believe it - what are the chances?  Dario was so funny and was too stressed to get excited in the fear that it might not come off but within a couple of months we had secured four tickets from Mr Robben and then I was able to buy two tickets online for Brigid and I.  So off we went to Munich - for a football game.  Not something I ever thought we would do....but we had such a wonderful time together.  The Allianz Stadium in Munich is amazing in itself but having Bayern playing in it was Dario's dream come true.

To really top it off, Bayern won 4-0 against Stuttgart.  Dario told me that there was no way they were not going to win.  It was like a gift to Dario though when Robben scored the first goal! The atmosphere in the stadium was electric.  It's a like a religion to these fans!  Brigid and I were seated behind to the left of the main fan squad, which was a great experience.  They sing the whole way through the game. Such a fun time that we will all remember so fondly.

There are FC Bayern Munich Fan Shops all over Munich.  They sell EVERYTHING - from toasters, with the FC Bayern emblems burnt onto the toast to puzzles to waffle makers.  The must make a fortune out of the merchandise.  The boys' eyes were popping out of their heads in excitement.

The whole of Munich was taken over by Bayern Munich fans on the Saturday morning.  It was like a sea of red and white in these markets near Marienplatz.  Dario blended in beautifully with his new Bayern jersey and cap and Wurst roll in hand.

The train to the Stadium was filled to the brim with Bayern supporters singing their fan songs.  Here the kids are walking from the train toward the stadium.

Conor & Dario in their Bayern jerseys.

 

You have to be frisked before entering the stadium.  Wouldn't want to have been a Stuttgart fan at this game!

Arjen Robben warming up before the game.

Marcus, Conor & Dario.

The Bayern team clapping their fans after the game.

Big smiles after the game.

Conor in front of the impressive Allianz Arena stadium.

The train ride home was quite an experience.  You could hardly breathe it was so packed but everyone was in such a great mood that no one cared.