Borussia Dortmund fans are among the most loyal supporters in world soccer. Prior to their match against Celtic, the supporters at Signal Iduna Park unveiled a huge banner that stated, “UEFA MAFIA!”
The reason Dortmund fans created this harsh banner is to stand in opposition to the new format of the UEFA Champions League and the future of European club soccer in general. The main banner also had two mini banners, one of which included a website leading fans to a site where they can understand the protest. This initiative has garnered support from a total of 20 supporters groups across Europe, who signed a statement expressing that the competition has become elitist and is focused on generating revenue rather than being a true sporting competition.
“Traveling across Europe with your own club and competing with the best: while for some, participation in international competitions is a constant in the club’s history, for others, a single participation is an absolute dream. However, the magic of European competitions is being increasingly devalued by UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA). With the imminent reform of UEFA’s club competitions next season, this magic is at risk of being completely lost,” the statement read.
Borussia Dortmund Protest UEFA Champions League
The second banner below the “Mafia” banner was a statement that read, “You don’t care about the sport; all you care about is the money.”
General view inside the stadium, as the fans display a tifo, which reads “UEFA MAFIA” and a banner which reads “You don’t care about the sport – all you care about is money” prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Borussia Dortmund and Celtic FC at BVB Stadion Dortmund on October 01, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
The unified protest also raised huge concerns over the congestion of the schedule in European soccer. “The increasing number of matches in competitions will push players and fans to their limits. The significant increase in revenue generated by the reforms also has the potential to destroy national competitions and pave the way for an imminent European Super League.”
see also
Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic: Where to watch and live stream 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League
