Borussia Dortmund Supporters Protest UEFA Changes by Throwing Symbolic Gold Bars during Newcastle Match with Displayed Banner

Borussia Dortmund Supporters Protest UEFA Changes by Throwing Symbolic Gold Bars during Newcastle Match with Displayed Banner

“Borussia Dortmund fans made a conspicuous protest during their Champions League match against Newcastle by tossing fake ‘gold bars’ onto the pitch. Their dissatisfaction stemmed from the proposed UEFA reforms to the Champions League set to take effect in the coming season.

In addition to the symbolic gold bars, counterfeit money was also strewn across the Signal Iduna Park stadium. A prominent banner displayed on the ‘Yellow Wall’ section of the stadium conveyed a clear message: “You don’t care about the sport. All you care about is money.” Simultaneously, Dortmund fans vocalized their disapproval, chanting ‘You are destroying our sport!’ throughout the protest.

The upcoming UEFA reform, scheduled for implementation at the start of the 2024/25 season, fundamentally alters the conventional group stage. Under this new format, a 36-team ‘league phase’ will be introduced, with each team competing in nine matches against various opponents. The top eight teams will gain automatic entry into the last 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24th will engage in a two-legged knockout play-off.

Dortmund’s passionate fan base established a dedicated website named ‘Reclaim the Game’ to articulate their grievances regarding the proposed UEFA changes. One section of the website pointedly questions the necessity of an intermediate playoff round and the expansion of the field of participants, asserting that these modifications are primarily geared towards increasing television revenue at the expense of players, fans, and national competitions.”