Bayern and Leipzig Coaches React with Shock Following Magdeburg Tragedy
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany and RB Leipzig's Marco Rose found it difficult to focus on football after Bayern's 5-1 victory on Friday. A planned Christmas ceremony at the Allianz Arena was abruptly canceled following a tragic incident in Magdeburg, where a vehicle was deliberately driven into crowds at a market, leaving at least two dead and 60 injured.
Authorities confirmed the attack as intentional, occurring about an hour before the Bundesliga match. The victims included an adult and a toddler, with 15 of the injured reported to be in serious condition, raising fears of more fatalities.
“It’s almost impossible to talk about football tonight. Right now, the people in Magdeburg are in our thoughts,” said Kompany. “Hopefully, at some point, there will be peace, not only in Germany but everywhere. We won today, but I hope next year brings more wins for peace.”
Rose echoed the sentiment, reflecting on the devastating news. “I’ve heard about the events in Magdeburg, and it puts everything else into perspective,” he said. “Yes, we played and lost decisively, and Benjamin Henrichs may have a serious ankle injury, but other things happened today that are far more important.”
Christmas Ceremony Canceled
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen addressed fans at the Allianz Arena, requesting a minute of silence to honor the victims. “We had envisioned a completely different ending to tonight,” he said. “The events in Magdeburg reached us during the match, leading to our decision to cancel the Christmas ceremony. Let us keep the victims’ families in our thoughts.”
On the Pitch
The game itself began dramatically, with Jamal Musiala scoring for Bayern after just 28 seconds, only for Benjamin Sesko to equalize moments later. Bayern quickly regained control, leading 3-1 at halftime with goals from Konrad Laimer and Joshua Kimmich. Leroy Sané and Alphonso Davies sealed the win, sending Bayern seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Despite the dominant performance, the mood was somber, overshadowed by the tragedy in Magdeburg.
