This year, FC Bayern celebrated their tenth consecutive championship, a feat not previously achieved by any other team in Europe's top leagues. Throughout the campaign, head coach Julian Nagelsmann's side were always able to count on the support of the Bayern fans. Whether at home in Munich's Allianz Arena or on the opponents' pitches on the road, the fans of the German record champions were there to support their team every second of the way. As good a reason as any to take another look back at the five most important fan moments of 2022.
1. 50 years of the Südkurve
For half a century, FCB's hardcore fans have been at home in the Südkurve. This ritual began on 2 August 1972 at a match against TSV 1860 in the Olympiastadion. The acoustics were best in the southern section of the stadium, where the fans' chants rang out louder. And so they stayed in the south, even in the Allianz Arena. The history of the Südkurve was marked by a huge and impressive tifo before the match against Gladbach on 27 August.
2. Servus, Buschi!
Michael Zeman, known as "Buschmann", was certainly one of the best-known Bayern fans. He and his famous outfit (40 scarves on his arms, 200 patches on his outfit, a massive hat) could be seen at almost every Bayern game. And Buschi also had a big heart, which is why he collected donations for the flood victims of the catastrophe in the Rhine valley in 2021. Sadly, he didn't live to see the proceeds being handed over in June. Buschi died of a heart attack on his way to the draw for the World Cup matches in Qatar. Take care, Buschi, you were a great man!
3. Taking a stance
At the match in Leverkusen, the FCB fans showed their political sensibilities. When Bayer player Sardar Azmoun came off the bench, some fans held up a placard: "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Woman, life, freedom) - Solidarity with the feminist revolution in Iran! It was actually a double declaration of solidarity. With Azmoun, who had spoken out against the Iranian regime, and with the protest movement in his home country.
4. President on tour
Herbert Hainer met with fan club representatives seven times, including, for example, in the Upper Palatinate, in Lower Franconia and in Chiemgau. It was the first time in the history of FCB that a president embarked on a tour of that kind through Bavaria. The aim was to strengthen the dialogue between club and fans, and it succeeded. So Herbert Hainer will no doubt be taking to the road again soon.
5. Living memorial
April's Champions League second leg tie against Villarreal hadn't yet kicked off when the Südkurve fans created a huge tifo in the Allianz Arena. In honour of our legendary striker Gerd Müller, who died in August 2021, they draped his image over all three levels of the stand. Underneath were the words: "Bomber for eternity!" We salute Gerd Müller and this emotional tifo.
Read what it means to be in the stadium for every FC Bayern match in this profile of a superfan in the club magazine "51":
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