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Party time Fans take to streets after Bayern Munich's triumph
Updated: Wednesday May 23, 2001 9:43 PM
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -- Tens of thousands of Bayern Munich fans packed the team's home town in the early hours of Thursday to celebrate after the German league winners beat Valencia in the Champions League final in Milan. Sounding their car horns, chanting football slogans and singing songs like "We are the champions," Bayern fans let off fireworks, packed bars in the center of the Bavarian capital and brought traffic to a standstill. "Basically the city center is completely blocked and it will stay that way for quite some time," said a police spokesman. "This is the biggest triumph in 25 years," said 25-year-old Philip Neukirchen who went into the town center after the game. Fans waving red, white and blue Bayern scarves mobbed a German television journalist reporting live from the scene, draping him with a club flag and spraying him with champagne and beer. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It is amazing. We are going to keep going until the morning and then go straight to the Marienplatz," said 18-year-old Chris Juergens. The Marienplatz square in the center of Munich is where the fans will welcome their heroes back in the afternoon and the reception is likely to be all the warmer given that Thursday is a public holiday in Germany for Ascension Day. The police do not plan to stop the celebrations. "As long as they don't do anything illegal, we'll let them party," said the spokesman, adding that no trouble had been reported so far.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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