Bundesliga: cardboard figures to replace fans in Mönchengladbach

Rarely will a match behind closed doors be held under as many pairs of eyes. In Mönchengladbach, almost 13,000 effigies of cardboard supporters have already been installed in the stands of the stadium, which will host a match of Bundesliga match 27 against Leverkusen on Saturday.

Endlich wieder eng zusammenstehen. Besser so als gar nicht. Passt auf Euch auf da draußen! Https: //t.co/wwjr241ReM#DieFohlen #vonfansfuerfans #seidabei # FohlenElf # fpmgsupportersclub #stayhome #bleibtgesund pic.twitter.com/O5dOAK7s33

Since the start of the coronavirus crisis in March, the group "Fanprojekt Mönchengladbach" has launched an idea that has flourished: allow each supporter to print, for 19 euros, a life-size image of himself on cardboard.

At least 20,000 spectators per match

These figurines are placed in the stadium stands, and holders of a year-long card even have the privilege of seeing their double cardboard sit exactly in their usual place.

"We install almost 13,000 effigies, but almost 20,000 are already ordered," said the president of the fan club Thomas Ludwig to the sports agency SID, a subsidiary of AFP.

"It's a great operation, which creates an atmosphere in the stadium," said Borussia sports director Max Eberl, "at the same time it is a reminder that football without supporters is not the same".

"It's fantastic. You really feel like you're not alone when you train in the stadium," added Marco Rose, the team's coach.

Winner 3-1 in Frankfurt last Saturday for the resumption match after more than two months of interruption due to the coronavirus, the Rhenish club is third with 52 pts, six points behind the leader Munich. It hosts the Bayer Leverkusen, fifth with 50 pts, on Saturday.

With AFP

"Supporting" football dolls are controversial

⚽ To make up for the lack of supporters in the stadiums, FC Seoul has installed dolls of human size suspected of being sexual objects in its stands

The summary of the France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app