September 24 – Hungarian authorities insist it is safe for fans to attend tonight’s Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Sevilla despite opposition parties claiming they will be “experimental rabbits”.
Champions League winners Bayern face Europe League victors Sevilla at Budapest’s Puskas Arena.
The 67,000-capacity stadium is allowed to be one third full with strict hygiene measures in place for those attending the game – the first major European match to feature fans since the Covid-19 crisis.
Both Bayern and Sevilla have been allocated 3,000 tickets but far fewer of their fans will attend, with the majority coming from Hungary.
UEFA says fans will be instructed to keep a distance of 1.5m from each other, wear masks and wash and disinfect their hands wherever possible. They also have to undergo temperature checks at the stadium.
The chief of staff for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the match will be “safer than almost any other gathering” with the measures that are in place but others are not convinced.
“This experiment is unacceptable,” said opposition Socialist deputy Ildiko Borbely. “They use 14,000 compatriots as experimental rabbits to see how the coronavirus spreads at mass gatherings. We reject exposing Hungary to such danger.”
Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder urged Bayern fans not to travel, saying the match could turn into a hotbed for Covid-19 to spread and also warned they could face quarantine on their return to Germany.
Both teams go into the match in superb form with Bayern unbeaten in 31 matches and Sevilla in 21.
As the fixture approached with over 15,000 tickets sold, both UEFA and the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) called on fans attending the game to act responsibly and comply with the “extraordinary measures introduced to protect everyone’s health.”
“We are working closely with the Hungarian Football Federation and its Government to implement measures to ensure the health of all those attending and participating in the game,” declared UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, “We will not take risks with people’s safety.”
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