Mainz supporters are angry – against their club.
In an open letter, fans demanded that the pre-season match against Newcastle be cancelled.
“With a match against Newcastle, Mainz is actively providing the Saudi regime with a place on the stage,” the statement read.
On Monday, July 18, Germany’s Mainz will play Newcastle United in a training match. At least that’s the plan.
But German fans want a different one. In an open letter, the Mainz Supporters’ Union appealed to the team to cancel the match, in protest against Saudi club Newcastle.
“Newcastle is not just a football club, but a tool to bring attention to the human rights system. We urge Mainz 05: take a stand! ‘Cancel Newcastle match’,” the fans wrote in the statement.
The coach is divided
Denmark’s Germany coach Bo Svensson does not want to take a position on crowd appeal but believes the question is not black or white, he says according to German Bild newspaper.
– I’m divided. On the one hand, I understand the arguments. On the other hand, such things are magnified when it comes to football. Who asks us to cancel the match if they don’t watch Disney movies with their kids? To what extent are we prepared to bear the consequences?
Watford canceled
It remains to be seen if the match between Mainz and Newcastle will be called off.
However, groups of supporters previously managed to influence their team’s match schedule. Two weeks ago, Britain’s Watford canceled its training match against the Qatar national team after widespread mass protests.
