Bayern Munich to forbid player autographs and selfies with fans for foreseeable future

Bayern Munich fans might be a bit disappointed after the latest news regarding fan service protocols came out of Säbener Strasse.

The day after the 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, the bench players and some reserves took part in an open training session in front of the fans while those who started the match regenerated. However, despite the presence of fans, the players did not come over to them for selfies and autographs like they normally would.

Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia) reported that Bayern have decided to forbid player-fan contact for the time being due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the area. Two years into the worldwide pandemic, it is not uncommon for people to assume that things are now under control, and to a certain extent, they are. However, the virus still remains present, and the numbers are still high. The return of Oktoberfest after two years has also contributed to the rising numbers of cases in Bavaria.

Bayern already had two COVID cases in the new season. Captain Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka were forced to withdraw from their international callups just last week. Thankfully, because it was the international break, neither player had to miss any games for Bayern, and both made their return against Leverkusen. However, Bayern got lucky that time. It is still a glaring possibility that more cases could pop up in the next few weeks.

As if COVID was not unwelcome enough, it could prove to be a huge pain as Bayern hits the Hinründe’s most difficult patch of games. Until the World Cup kicks off mid-November, Bayern have two games every single week, with Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League fixtures coming left and right. Player condition is crucial in this period, and COVID is the last thing that any player (or coaching staff) would want to experience. Therefore it makes sense that the club is taking measures to protect the team as much as possible as it gears up for the busy weeks ahead.

Want more discussion about the Bayer Leverkusen game? Check out our postgame podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify.

As always, we appreciate the support!