Strong gesture from Hannover 96! And strong statements from the coaches of 96 and Holstein Kiel after the 2-0 win on Friday evening!
After the Russian attack on Ukraine, Hanover did without Greenday’s usual opening song “Know your enemy”. Enemy means “enemy”. “We found that inappropriate in the current situation,” said 96 managing director Robert Schäfer to BILD.
Instead, 96 and Kiel walked in to the anti-war song “Imagine” by John Lennon.
Kiel coach Marcel Rapp (42): “A great action. Of course we all worry a lot. My family is coming to visit me tomorrow. What if my daughter asks why are they shooting at each other? What do I answer her? One can only hope it gets better. With such gestures you can contribute a part to it.”
96 colleague Christoph Dabrowski (43): “I can only agree. What is happening right now can only be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The worst thing is that people who cannot do anything about the situation are affected. One can only hope that world politics will find ways and means to stabilize this situation and that it will go in a direction where we can once again look at this region with peace of mind.”
After the anti-war song there was a minute’s silence – which was interrupted by a heckling “Schröder out”. Putin friend Gerhard Schröder (77) was 96 chairman of the supervisory board, has a 96 box in Arena with friends. He wasn’t in the stadium against Kiel.
96 was also deeply affected on social networks. The Reds recalled “an unforgettable trip” eleven years ago to the Europa League game in Poltava, where war is now raging. “Our thoughts are with the people living in Ukraine. For peace,” 96 tweeted – adding a dove of peace as a symbol.
