|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
'The best' Bayern euphoria sweeps through Munich
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -- Tens of thousands of fans cheered Bayern Munich's homecoming on Thursday following the team's dramatic Champions League victory over Valencia, which won them the European Cup for the first time in 25 years. Fans lined the city's streets applauding the players, who rode atop convertible cars on a sunny, muggy afternoon. "I have never seen so many people. This is really a fantastic atmosphere," club president Franz Beckenbauer said. Bayern lifted the European Cup for the fourth time after goalkeeper Oliver Kahn made three dramatic saves for a 5-4 penalty shootout win. The match had ended deadlocked at 1-1 after 120 minutes. Kahn carried the trophy en route to Marienplatz, the central pedestrian square, which was packed with fans trying to congratulate him and touch the trophy. Some of the players, who had enjoyed muted celebrations of their German league victory on Saturday to prepare for the Champions League final, nursed bottles of beer as they rode. When he reached the balcony at the old Gothic city hall, Kahn raised the trophy in one hand and a massive glass of beer in the other as fans cheered and flags waved below him. For a while, the main square became an open-air beer hall, complete with a sing-song -- including, naturally, "We are the champions." Some of the assembled throng were wearing replica club shirts, others traditional Bavarian menswear, lederhosen. Giant beersSeveral hundreds fans waiting at Munich airport saw the pilot hang a Bayern scarf from the window of the team plane as it rolled down the runway, while some of the police on duty grabbed the opportunity to take some photos. A woman offered giant glasses of beer at the foot of the stairs to greet the feted passengers. Not all of the players, who had stayed up until 6 a.m. celebrating, took advantage of the offer. But some -- like Brazilian striker Giovane Elber -- were more than willing to partake. "One must celebrate," he said. "You don't know when you will have such a chance again." Despite the welcome the European champions still had to carry their own luggage. In Berlin, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder -- a Borussia Dortmund supporter -- extended warm congratulations in a telegram to Beckenbauer. "After its third German championship in a row the team has also had the extraordinary achievement of winning the most important European competition through great work in penalty kicks,' said Schroeder, a long-time soccer fan. "This victory gives all of German soccer a mighty boost and self confidence," he said. After winning three straight finals in the seventies, then losing on their next three European Cup final appearances in 1982, 1987 and 1999, Bayern were champions of Europe again. Tens of thousands of Bayern fans started celebrations on the streets immediately after Wednesday night's victory, an event which RTL television said 16.4 million Germans had watched. Some never went to bed and continued the festivities through Thursday, a holiday in Germany for Ascension Day.
Bayern praises Kahn, credits HitchcockMUNICH, Germany -- Bayern Munich plans to give Alfred Hitchcock honorary membership after it capped its greatest season in 25 years Wednesday by winning yet another cliffhanger. With 'keeper Ollie Kahn holding three tries from the spot, Munich's 5-4 penalty shootout victory against FC Valencia to claim the Champions Cup fit perfectly into a season full of larger-than-life endings. "We're all swaying in heaven. This is a historic success -- the club is hotter than it ever was," said a jubilant vice president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We've decided to give Hitchcock honorary membership. No one could write a better script." Just five days earlier, Swedish libero Patrik Andersson's free kick on the final play of injury time against Hamburg gave Munich its 17th Bundesliga title with a 2-1 victory. The week before a 90th minute goal by Alexander Zickler saved Bayern's domestic season when rival Schalke, playing several hundred kilometers (miles) away, lost on another goal just seven seconds earlier. "This is crazy. What happened in the last three matches is unbelievable," said Munich president Franz Beckenbauer. But Bundesliga titles are expected for Bayern, while the club has fulfilled a huge dream by winning its fourth Champions Cup, ending a drought since the club completed a hat trick in 1976. Munich celebrated into the early mornings in the Milan disco "Alcatraz Music Island," then flew back to Munich. Amidst a caravan of honking cars, the bleary-eyed players drove into downtown Marienplatz for a victory celebration in front of thousands of fans. "It's huge for German soccer. Normally, if you fail to convert two penalties, then you can usually close the book -- but that is an unbelievably cool and clever team," praised German soccer president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder. "But above all they've got a world-class goalie." Almost every one on Munich was singing the praises of Kahn, whom coach Ottmar Hitzfeld called "the star of the evening." After Brazilian forward Paulo Sergio shot over the crossbar on the first Bayern attempt in the shootout to dig a hole for his team, Kahn stopped three tries by Valencia, including the final one by Mauricio Pellegrino. "I'm not sure how I did that. Actually none of them were shot terribly," said Kahn. "I felt enormous pressure, because we were always behind." Although Munich didn't turn in a fantastic performance against Valencia in a tactical match between the Champions League's top two defensive sides, most in Germany felt Munich deserved the triumph. Especially since they ousted Real Madrid and Manchester United in the competition, rushing to the title by winning its last six matches. "It's fantastic for German soccer, particularly if you think of the great teams they beat," said national coach Rudi Voeller. "There's nothing left to say about Kahn -- he's the best." Coach Hitzfeld also drew praise as the triumph's architect, becoming the second man after Ernst Happel to win the Cup with two different teams. He also won with Borussia Dortmund four years ago. The 23,500 Munich fans at the stadium in Milan chanted after the final whistle, "Hitzfeld, you are the best." Midfielder Bixente Lizarazu, a World Cup champion with France, agreed: "He's one of the best coaches I've ever had. He's the reason why we have such good spirit on the team." Beckenbauer and business manager Hoeness, two former greats from the '70s champions, had schemed, planned and often been disappointed in their efforts to put Munich back atop Europe. But after the final whistle, the hard-nosed Hoeness broke into tears and a beaming Beckenbauer wandered onto the pitch to shake hands and praise his players with anyone that strayed in his path. Now Hoeness could finally say joyfully, "We're the best team in the world." Chancellor Schroeder congratulates BayernBERLIN -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder congratulated Bayern Munich on Thursday for their dramatic Champions League victory over Valencia on penalties and said the team deserved a good holiday. "After its third German championship in a row the team has also had the extraordinary achievement of winning the most important European competition through great work in penalty kicks," said Schroeder, a long-time soccer fan, in a statement to club president Franz Beckenbauer. "This victory gives all of German soccer a mighty boost and self confidence," he said, referring to Bayern's first European Cup success since they won the trophy for the third time in a row in 1976. "At the same time I wish you all a relaxing holiday after many games. After your stressful work, you have more than earned one," added Schroeder. Bayern eased the pain of their injury-time defeat to Manchester United in the 1999 final by beating Valencia 5-4 on penalties after Wednesday's match finished 1-1 following extra time at the San Siro stadium in Italy. Schroeder is a lifetime honorary member of Borussia Dortmund and has also recently shown interest in the eastern German team Energie Cottbus, which plays in a region of the country where the chancellor needs support to win re-election next year. Munich is a stronghold of conservative rival Edmund Stoiber, the Bavarian leader, who also sent his congratulations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
