On the road with FC Bayern: Ten-hour bus ride from a Bayern coach's hometown

FC Bayern fans travel from all over the world to support their team at away matches – even if it takes them hundreds of kilometres through snow and cold. From now, we want to get to know those who spare no effort or expense to see their beloved Bayern away from the Allianz Arena a little better: our away fans with their special stories, their love and their passion for FC Bayern.

Sepp (38), Clemens (59), Wolfgang (56) and their six friends are not hard to recognise in a restaurant in the trendy Oude Haven district, which Dutch Bayern fan Dirk Luteijn recommended in our pre-match feature. They all proudly wear their red Bayern clothing and sit together at a corner table, or as you'd say in their native Lower Bavaria: at a Stammtisch ('regulars' table'). However, the nine FCB supporters are not in their home region, but in the Dutch metropolis of Rotterdam.

780 kilometres there and back

Clemens is chairman of the Bayern fan club in Aiglsbach, Sepp is the treasurer there, Wolfgang is responsible for the fan club in Oberglaim and Andreas (33) for the one in Obersüßbach. Since the individual fan groups get on well together and are located in close proximity, they travel together to all away and home matches – provided they can get tickets. The motto of 'Mia San Family' is also practised among the friendly fan clubs, as evidenced by jointly printed shirts. Their latest trip took the nine friends to the Netherlands. They travelled over ten hours and 780 kilometres together by bus the day before the game and then returned home together after two nights – this time, unfortunately, with a 3-0 away defeat.

"Between them, the three fan clubs have just under 1,000 members," says one member proudly at the table. Some of the group spend several thousand euros a year travelling with and experiencing the matches of their beloved Bayern. But it's not just about the sport and the events, it's also about friendships and group dynamics. "Every game is a highlight, especially the away trips," says Sepp. "That's when the atmosphere is at its best and the passionate fans are there. Although there are fewer people than at home games, it's fantastic. Everyone gets into the spirit and you meet the same people. That's how you make friends and get to know each other."

The men have already experienced their fair share of highlights with FCB. For example, Clemens, who's been a Bayern member for 30 years, and Wolfgang were at the Champions League triumph at Wembley in 2013. "I was even at the victory party because I was given a wristband – that was my highlight," says Wolfgang with a beaming smile. Another member at the table says: "When my daughter was born, she was a member of FC Bayern a week later." The person sitting next to him says that the same applies to his nephew. "He's been member number 405,000 since the New Year, he's two months old."

U19 coach Gaydarov from Aiglsbach

Another connection between Bayern and the fan club in Aiglsbach is Peter Gaydarov. The current U19 coach, who has been working at the FC Bayern Campus since 2021, lives in the district of Kelheim not far from Ingolstadt and led TV Aiglsbach to promotion to the regional league as a 26-year-old coach in the summer of 2017. The Bulgarian-born coach now looks after top talents such as Adam Aznou at the academy. The fact that their former coach is now making a career at Bayern Munich certainly fills the fan club members with pride. "He's going to be a great one," the men are certain. The fans are also enthusiastic about the current first-team boss: "Vincent Kompany is super," says Sepp.

Hoping for 'Finale dahoam'

Even though their optimistic predictions didn't come true at Feyenoord, Clemens says with a view to the rest of the Champions League campaign: "The 'Finale dahoam' is obviously the aim. Other top clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid have also had problems in the Champions League this year. Liverpool have impressed the most so far." Before the next European evening against Slovan Bratislava next Wednesday, the Bundesliga away clash at SC Freiburg is on the schedule – naturally, with the fan clubs from Lower Bavaria in attendance. "We'll also be at Stuttgart, Augsburg and Leverkusen after that," confirms Clemens. "We get everywhere."