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Commentary on space storms in Cologne, Schalke and Frankfurt – no longer have a feeling for the right moment

Status: 05/09/2022 10:54 a.m



Two ups in the Bundesliga at the weekend. The fact that fans run onto the pitch for the season finale is already a tradition. But while the actions used to be spontaneous, today they seem institutionalized, almost compulsive, says Jan Wochner.

It’s almost a habit now, something of a tradition, the usual procedure. Whether last in Frankfurt or this weekend in Cologne or at Schalke. With great success, football fans storm the lawn.

They want to be very close to where the action is, to experience it up close. Touch the players, take home a piece of turf or a goal net as a souvenir, whatever you do with it.

Square storms have worn out

But these pictures are now part of the Bundesliga season finale, year after year. Only now, that’s my impression, the space towers have worn out.

Example Cologne on Saturday: FC lose against Wolfsburg and still qualify for the European Cup because the competition on the other places is playing for Cologne at the same time. Thousands of fans storm the pitch after the final whistle, carry their goalscorer Anthony Modeste across the field and harass captain Jonas Hector.

1. FC Köln lost 1-0 to VfL Wolfsburg in the last home game on the 33rd matchday of the Bundesliga, but will still play in Europe next season thanks to the support of Bayer Leverkusen.

Inappropriate for the moment

It was all visibly uncomfortable for the players. So they quickly retreated to the cabin wing. It was just a surreal event, not at all appropriate for the moment. Outside there was celebration, inside the players were angry about their defeat.

Or on Saturday evening at Schalke: S04 is promoted to the Bundesliga and again there is the Platzsturm. Only in the arena at Schalke is there such a thing with space storms, because between the lawn and the stands it goes down several meters into a concrete ditch. So many supporters have risked serious injury trying to get onto the field.

Dramatic scenes at Schalke

And while the celebrations took place on the lawn, dramatic scenes played out at the bottom of the stands. In the Schalke fan block, numerous people were squeezed against the balustrade by the following crowds of fans. Can’t imagine what could have happened there.

The Platzsturm is no longer just about spontaneity or the magic of the moment of the greatest possible joy about a success. My feeling: something has been wrong here for a long time.

FC Schalke 04 is back in the Bundesliga. The Royal Blues completed their promotion with a dramatic win against FC St. Pauli. The visitors led 2-0 early on.

Compulsion to space storm

Because the storming of squares now seems institutionalized and thus almost like a technocratically predetermined act that has to be fulfilled compulsively.

Don’t get me wrong: At the right moment, when everything is just right, fans and players celebrating together on the pitch can be unforgettable, but something like this cannot be planned and certainly not forced. Something like that only happens from the uniqueness of the moment. And I would wish that football fans would develop a better sense for moments like this.

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