Former Bayern boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has sharply criticized the current regulations on audience limits in German professional football. “No spectators is not okay. We have 100 percent occupancy in England, although the incidence is high. We have 75 percent in Spain, 50 percent in Italy and we play 0 percent in Bavaria,” said Rummenigge Bavarian Radio.
Depending on the federal state, different corona regulations currently apply with regard to the number of spectators. In Bavaria, the regulations are particularly strict, only ghost games are currently taking place there. “Football without spectators is not football. It lives on emotions – and the spectators should bring them back soon,” said Rummenigge.
The 66-year-old currently sees football at a disadvantage compared to other events. “Football has always been said to have an advantage. At the moment I think football is rather disadvantaged,” he said.
Rummenigge also spoke again about the crucial phase between 2012 and 2013, in which Bayern had to get back up after the bitter national defeats against Borussia Dortmund and in the Champions League final “at home” against Chelsea .
BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke once said that it was Dortmund’s “biggest mistake” to “irritate Bayern too much in 2012”.
“I can confirm that,” said Rummenigge. The mood in the summer of 2012 was “in the basement,” he admits. “We said: We have to do something to get the gap back. And the year after that we won the treble. That was a brilliant comeback,” he added.
Rummenigge: Bayern dominance after 2013 “a surefire success”
Dortmund were 25 points behind in the league, but the Champions League final against BVB at Wembley Stadium was even more important for their own self-image. During the drive to the stadium, nobody “said a word. We knew very well: We have to win this game, no matter what happens. We have to show that we’re not only the best in Europe, but also in Germany,” explained Rummenigge .
As is well known, Bayern also prevailed, and since then “it has been a sure-fire success in a way. The self-confidence was back,” he said. This was also reflected in the transfer market. Dortmund initially had to cope with the departure of Mario Götze to Munich, a year later Robert Lewandowski followed the calls from the south.
“In 2014 we put an incredible amount on the scales to get him,” said Rummenigge, referring to Lewandowski. The Pole finally developed into a world star at Bayern, won the Champions League with the club in 2020 and has now been named world footballer twice.
That’s why Rummenigge also wishes FC Bayern that Lewandowski “stays beyond his current contract period.”
