Security measures in Paris caused trouble at Bayern’s last Premier League away game. Now one FCB boss is going on the offensive – legally and verbally.
Jan-Christian Dreesen has once again found clear words in the conflict with the Parisian authorities. After the Bundesliga match against Freiburg, the Bayern CEO emphasized that the latest restrictions for the fans travelling with the team should not go unanswered. He announced to SPORT1: „They have written to us, that’s right. We will continue to take legal action against the procedure accordingly.“
Dreesen then became even clearer: „They have certainly threatened us that no more fans will be allowed to come next time. That’s why we won’t let this sit on our hands.“ FC Bayern’s legal action is directed against an order issued by the Paris Prefecture of Police the day before the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain (2:1).
This stated that all 15 fan buses were to stop at a toll station outside the city and could only be taken to the stadium from there under police escort. The Munich camp reacted immediately with an urgent appeal, but lost the case in court. Despite the setback, those responsible are not giving up.
Hours of waiting, no catering
The measure not only hit the organization hard, but above all the fans. Some of those who arrived by bus had to wait seven hours – in a place without sufficient toilets or food. Even buses that had already arrived in Paris were instructed to drive back and queue at the assembly point. The treatment of the supporters was „arbitrary“, said Dreesen at the subsequent banquet at the Four Seasons George V Hotel.
The club expressed surprise at the short notice of the order. According to internal information, all relevant information had been passed on to the French authorities in good time. Nevertheless, the order was completely unexpected – and even Paris Saint-Germain spoke out against the measure.
FC Bayern pulled out all the legal stops on the day of the match. „This approach is unprecedented. Overnight, we obtained a court hearing for this afternoon in Paris, at which our representatives took action against this order,“ said Dreesen. Despite the action, Bayern fans remained affected by the restrictions – a situation that the club is not prepared to let rest.
What happens next depends on the further legal process, but Dreesen’s stance is clear – as is his message to the Parisian authorities: FC Bayern will not be intimidated.