|
MUNICH (Reuters) -
French, German and other fans toasted the kick-off of Euro 2020
with beers and a determination to keep the good times rolling
despite COVID-19 restrictions that have limited the number of
people in the stadium and streets.
Local resident Sepp Mayer, 54, failed to get tickets to the
Group F match between France and Germany on Tuesday but was
happy to soak up the atmosphere at Munich's famed Hofbrauhaus
beer hall with German and French supporters.
"We've all had a bad time over the past year and now we need to
have fun," Mayer said holding his personal beer stein as groups
of France supporters chanted in the garden. "I'm happy to be
back here drinking beer."
The Allianz Arena will host Germany's three Group F matches
against world champions France on June 15, holders Portugal four
days later and Hungary on June 23. It will also stage one
quarter-final match.
Some 14,000 fans will be allowed to attend games at the 70,000
capacity stadium, leaving plenty of people looking for other
places to watch the tournament.
French lawyer Victoria Robert, 28, travelled to Munich with
tickets in hand and sees the match as an opportunity to leave
behind tighter restrictions in her home country to experience a
big tournament, even if a subdued one compared to past events.
"It is still an opportunity to see something different," Robert
said at a cafe in the centre. "It's great to come to a
tournament like this even with fewer people because it is
something we have not been able to experience in a long time."
Bar and restaurant workers say they expect warmer weather and
easing of restrictions to attract more people, though rules
dictate that establishments can show games but not make them a
main event.
That means smaller TVs and fewer people, which 27-year-old
Danish fan Niklas Daraard -- who travelled to Munich from
Denmark with friends to watch the match -- said did not matter
so long as the beer kept flowing.
"We love football and we knew there wouldn't be as many people
but we came to watch the game on TV," Daraard said. "We are
drinking beer and having fun."
(Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Ed Osmond)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
|
