Although over 60,000 spectators are allowed into the stadium for the first time this season, some BVB fans are voluntarily foregoing a return against Mainz – which is nevertheless imminent.
Instead of playing in front of 25,000 last time, Borussia Dortmund will be allowed to play in front of up to 67,000 fans against 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. The ultra group “The Unity” will still not be part of the crowd. They announced this on Friday after internal talks in view of the new Corona protection order in North Rhine-Westphalia.
“Although the jump from 25,000 to 67,000 spectators is to be seen as another step in the right direction, above all a south stand that is only half full does not represent the right framework conditions for the return of our group at the present time,” writes “The Unity”.
For the same reasons, the organised fans also want to stay away from the other Bundesliga home games in October and the away game in Bielefeld. But: Already on Tuesday they will attend a BVB match in the stadium for the first time since the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, because Champions League opponents Ajax Amsterdam are allowed to use their stadium to capacity.
BVB fans refer to Bayern
Borussia can also count on the support of “The Unity” again in their own European Cup home games in future, where only around 66,000 spectators are permitted anyway – and no standing room.
For the fact that their occupancy in the Bundesliga remains limited to 50 per cent, the Ultra group holds “in the meantime more symbolic-political than pandemic aspects responsible” and refers to the federal state of Bavaria, where the stadiums may be fully occupied again. However, FC Bayern & Co. have to comply with the 3G-Plus regulation, while BVB has 3G. Thus, non-vaccinated or non-vaccinated persons will be admitted even if they have a negative rapid test on the day of the match.
“Our ideal,” concludes “The Unity”, “remains that we can return to the Bundesliga home games in a sold-out Westfalenstadion as a group and cheer on our team as we did before the pandemic in a full south stand. “
