Bundesliga: Critical fan's ban lifted as Bayern Munich scrape past Augsburg

Bayern Munich's hardcore supporters returned to the Allianz Arena to see their team scrape past Augsburg. Among them, one critical fan whose controversial ban linked to Qatar criticism has been lifted.

Bayern Munich 1-0 Augsburg (Lewandowski – pen 82') Allianz Arena, Munich

Bayern Munich saw off local Bavarian rivals Augsburg thanks to a late Robert Lewandowski penalty as they continued their march toward a tenth consecutive Bundesliga title.

The Pole beat his compatriot Rafal Gikiewicz from the spot after Augsburg defender Reece Oxford was judged to have handled the ball in the box.

However, after a poor performance and shock defeat in their Champions League quarterfinal final first leg against Villarreal on Wednesday, it was an unconvincing display ahead of Tuesday's season-defining second leg, with Julian Nagelsmann's team having to overcome a 0-1 deficit.

Critical fan's ban lifted

With coronavirus restrictions having been lifted, Bayern Munich's organized, active support, including the hardcore ultras, returned to the Allianz Arena for the first time in five months. Among them, one supporter whose controversial internal club ban had been lifted after two years.

Back in March 2020, Bayern Munich banned a fan for the "unpermitted positioning of a banner" reading "Bayern amateurs against Monday games" at a Bayern reserve team game the previous month.

The supporter in question is a member of the fan group Munich's Red Pride, whose members have long been outspoken critics of their club's commercial dealings with the state of Qatar. In January 2020, the supporter was a speaker at an event titled "Qatar, Human Rights and FC Bayern: hands out, mouths shut?" organized by Club Nr. 12 – an umbrella organization representing active Bayern supporters.

"The reason why he alone has been sanctioned can only be that the club wants to silence a critical fan," the supporter's lawyer, Dr. Andreas Hüttl, told DW at the time, as his client appealed his ban in court. That appeal is now superfluous after the ban was lifted, as announced by Club Nr. 12 on Friday.

'Criticism from supporters is part of football'

"A house ban for expressing an opinion is not acceptable," said Club Nr. 12 in a statement. "Opinions on club and supporter issues must be accepted, even if the board doesn't like them. Banners and public criticism from supporters are part of football. Fans should not ever be shut out just because club officials don't share their opinions."

The supporter's legal costs of €1,744 ($1,897) are set to be covered by donations in summer 2020 totaling €2,613 – with the surplus funds being donated to Shramik Sanjal, a Nepalese volunteer network supporting migrant workers in the Gulf States, including on World Cup construction sites in Qatar.

Bayern's organised fans were back - as one supporter's controversial ban was lifted

Robert Lewandowski celebrates his goal