BUNDESLIGA club Borussia Monchengladbach are finding a novel way of filling their stadium – with 12,000 cardboard cut-outs of actual fans.
Usually supporters are chastised for choosing to watch games from their sofa instead of going to the ground, but nowadays they are left with no other option.
The faces of real fans will adorn the stands for the behind-closed-doors fixturesCredit: Reuters
Cardboard figures are being put up in the Nordkurve behind the goalCredit: Reuters
Monchengladbach are filling seats in their 54,000-capacity Borussia-Park arena with pictures that fans have sent in from home.
The ‘Stay at home, be in the stands’ campaign allows the Fohlen faithful to purchase a cut-out bearing their image for just £17, with all profits going to charity.
Season ticket holders are being given the chance to place their cardboard likeness at their usual seat.
All other cut-outs are destined to go behind the goal in the home Nordkurve end – with Ultras allowed to pick their Block 16 home.
Borussia fan rep Thomas Weinmann admitted they are even struggling to keep up with the demand for the popular idea ahead of their side’s return to action.
He stated: “The campaign organisers are regularly overrun with orders; we can hardly keep up trying to install them all. But we’re obviously delighted with the overwhelming support it’s received.”
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Gladbach sit fourth in the Bundesliga table ahead of its restart this weekend, which has been green lit after 7,778 coronavirus deaths in the country.
However there will be plenty of time to install the remaining cut-outs as the side head to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday before welcoming Bayer Leverkusen to the Rhineland on May 23.
No more than 213 people will be allowed inside the stadium for games, including players and club staff.
And the idea could provide an extra boost to players pushing for a place in the Champions League if their title hopes fade for good.
Gladbach star Marcus Thuram has admitted it feels like fans are in the stadium when you first walk outCredit: Reuters
There are plenty more cut-outs to go up as the orders keep coming inCredit: Getty Images – Getty
French forward Marcus Thuram said: “When you first come into the stadium, for three or four seconds you don’t realise that it’s not real people.
“Sadly, we can’t get the same noise from the crowd, but it’s still a nice feeling to have the fans there.”
Borussia sporting director Max Eberl said ahead of the restart: “Games without fans remove that influence from the stands, whether it be positive or negative; it’s all down to the players.
“It will be interesting to see which sides deal with it best and perhaps even benefit from it.”
Gladbach hope the novel idea will maintain the fans’ connection with the team from their sofasCredit: Reuters
At least 12,000 of the 54,000 seats will be filledCredit: Reuters
Germany is set to re-open every shop and restart the Bundesliga before the end of May, in new plans
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
