Bayern ban UK tabloids for Man U clash

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger reacts after being sent off during the Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on April 1, 2014. Picture: Michael Dalder

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger reacts after being sent off during the Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on April 1, 2014. Picture: Michael Dalder

Published Apr 3, 2014

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Berlin - Bayern Munich on Thursday refused two British tabloids accreditation for next week's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Manchester United over 'insulting' headlines referring to midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The Germany midfielder was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a 90th-minute foul on United's England star Wayne Rooney as Tuesday's first leg finished 1-1 at Old Trafford.

“You dirty Schwein”, wrote the Daily Mirror in a headline, while The Sun ran “You Schwein!” on their back page on Wednesday.

Reporters from both newspapers have now been refused accreditation for Wednesday's return leg at Munich's Allianz Arena, with reigning European champions Bayern not amused by the play on words, 'Schwein' meaning 'pig' in German.

“Bayern Munich do not accept this kind of reporting and condemn these headlines in the strongest terms,” said the Bavarian giants in a statement, referring to the headlines as “disrespectful, discriminatory and personally insulting”.

A spokesperson for European football's governing body UEFA told AFP that Bayern had acted according to the rules as “the home club manages the requests for accreditation” and has the right to turn down any applications.

Bayern have already been fined 10,000 euros (US$13,764) by UEFA and ordered to close part of the Allianz Arena for the game after supporters displayed an offensive banner against Arsenal last month.

A banner with the text “Gay Gunners” was spotted in the stadium during Bayern's 1-1 draw against Arsenal, whose nickname is the Gunners, in the second leg of their last-16 tie.

Sapa-AFP

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