Fan's Death Overshadows Bayern's Win in Champions League

Soccer Football - Champions League - Bayern Munich v Benfica - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - November 6, 2024  Bayern Munich players applaud fans after the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
Soccer Football - Champions League - Bayern Munich v Benfica - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - November 6, 2024 Bayern Munich players applaud fans after the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
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Fan's Death Overshadows Bayern's Win in Champions League

Soccer Football - Champions League - Bayern Munich v Benfica - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - November 6, 2024  Bayern Munich players applaud fans after the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
Soccer Football - Champions League - Bayern Munich v Benfica - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - November 6, 2024 Bayern Munich players applaud fans after the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

Bayern Munich is mourning the death of a fan who attended the team’s 1-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Bavarian club said early Thursday morning that it received the news that the fan had died while being transported to the hospital.
Bayern fans did not sing or chant during the game out of respect for the person. The atmosphere in Bayern’s stadium was noticeably muted some minutes after kickoff when it became apparent there was a medical emergency requiring the attention of paramedics and police officers.
The Bayern supporters’ group Club Nr. 12 said its members would “not be supporting as usual today because of an emergency medical intervention. Life comes before sport. We wish the family and friends lots of strength.”
The Bayern supporters did not resume chanting after the person was carried out of the block on a stretcher after about half an hour, The Associated Press reported.
Jamal Musiala’s 67th-minute header – set up by Harry Kane – was enough for Bayern to end its two-game losing run and claim its second win of the league phase.
The Bayern fans cheered and celebrated the goal, but the atmosphere remained muted for the rest of the match.
“We didn't know of it during the game, just after it,” Bayern midfielder Konrad Laimer said of the medical emergency. “We wish the family strength and best wishes, we're thinking of all involved, and we're hoping for the best for the individual fan."
Bayern's announcement came later.



No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
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No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton's struggles at Mercedes are not giving his future employers Ferrari any concern, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.

The seven-times Formula One world champion finished only 12th in Qatar on Sunday, the 39-year-old Briton's last race before his farewell to Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi season-ender next weekend.

He also finished 10th in Brazil last month, and 11th in the Saturday sprint there.

Asked after the race at Lusail if he was worried about Hamilton's form going into next year, Ferrari's Vasseur replied: "Not at all.

"I have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas, starting in P10 (10th place), finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I'm not worried at all."

Hamilton finished second in a Mercedes one-two with winner George Russell, who started on pole position, in Las Vegas on Nov. 24.

Hamilton collected two penalties on Sunday -- a five second one for a false start and the other a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane -- as well as a puncture.

At one point, clearly fed up, he sought to retire the car but his race engineer refused the request because the drive-through penalty would have been carried over to Abu Dhabi if left unserved.

The Briton, who turns 40 in January, has been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell this season and 5-1 in the sprints but has also won two grands prix.

"I know I've still got it," Hamilton said on Saturday. "It's just the car won't go faster. But I definitely know I've got it. It is not a question in my mind."

On Sunday he was prepared for one last push.

"I'm still standing, it's not how you fall, it's how you get back up, so I'll get back up tomorrow and give it another shot next week," he said.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff rejected any suggestion Hamilton was losing his speed.

"I'm certain that it's not true. It's just this generation of cars, particularly how the car is now," said the Austrian. "He's a late braker, he carries a lot of speed on the entry to the corner and the car doesn't take it."