FC Bayern misses opening win in Champions League after pyrotechnics trouble

The FC Bayern footballers were very disappointed about missing out on a win at the start of the new season in the Champions League. »I think it's self-explanatory that it sucks. We should have won the game," complained Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic after the 2-2 (2-1) draw against Manchester City. “The first goal was unnecessary, I have no idea what was going on with the pyrotechnics.”

First smoke, then the city gate

The Munich team missed out on victory in the duel between the German and English champions despite a 2-0 lead. The goal that threw the hosts off their stride in their first competitive game at Sportpark Unterhaching came on the wing, on which pyrotechnics had been ignited shortly before. The resulting blue smoke seemed to be irritating, and red smoke could also be seen on the sidelines.

»I actually think that if there are objects on the pitch, you have to stop it. “The counterattack came over the side,” said keeper Mahmutovic. After the 1:2 she saved a penalty from Khadija Shaw (62nd minute). But in Munich's first competitive game at the Sportpark Unterhaching, German international Carlotta Wamser (86th), who moved to the island in the summer, scored the equalizer for the English women.

Criticism of the referee

“It actually feels a bit like losing three points at the moment,” said national team captain Giulia Gwinn. “We just have to act more mature and close the bag.”

Coach José Barcala's Bayern team had started the duel well before the debatable 1-2 goal. After the early lead by Gwinn (11th minute) and an own goal by Kerstin Casparij (28th), Manchester came close again shortly before the break through Beth Mead (45th) - aided by the pyrotechnics.

“You just have to stop the game,” said Bianca Rech, Bavaria’s director of women’s football, in the direction of the referee. "It continues to run and at that moment some people have already switched off and then it's a strange situation."

The Spaniard Olatz Rivera Olmedo removed the smoking pot from the lawn herself. “I can’t understand why the referee goes there herself, takes the Bengalo and throws it towards the fans,” said Rech.

“This is a tricky situation because there are fireworks on the square,” said ZDF commentator Meili Scheidemann. “The people of Munich say that it shouldn’t have continued,” Scheidemann continued. The hit was checked but remained.

Bayern, who are the only German team taking part in the Champions League, have their first away game next week against Benfica Lisbon. Benfica started the tournament with a 2-1 win against Juventus. Other opponents in the demanding league phase are Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Austria Vienna and defending champion Barcelona.