The Leverkusen Festival in “double pass”! On the day of Bayer 04's possible first championship, the expert chat on Sport1 on Sunday (April 14, 2024) had exactly the right guest: veteran Werkself coach Reiner Calmund (75).
From 1976 to 2004, Calli held various positions for the club he loved, including many unforgettable evenings of football and great victories. Only the German championship was not awarded to the former XXL coach, despite several promising attempts. 20 years after he left, Calmund can finally celebrate as a fan.
“One-two”: Calmund reacts in detail to König's advice
Greeting the “double pass”, Calmund wanted nothing to do with the championship trophy on Sunday morning and was reserved due to his stubborn “Vicekusen bacillus”. “We've come second so many times that you can slide off my hump,” he told presenter Florian König (56).
“I'm very nervous,” he said before the first match point for the title against Werder Bremen: “Due to the numerous vice-presidential titles, I won't talk about it until it is mathematically perfect.”
In Leverkusen, however, the atmosphere was already a little higher, journalist Manfred Sedlbauer reported from the terrace of the Rustika restaurant, where members of the 1st Fan Club 1976 Leverkusen traditionally gather before home games.
Presenter Florian König (56) joked with Calmund when looking at the photographs with the first 20 fans gathered: “Look, a lot is happening. More happens there than there used to be in your stadium.” In reference to the annual average of less than 20,000 fans until the 90s. Gross beginning of the “double pass”!
Of course, Calmund didn't want to let that go. Calmund stared at his host with his index finger outstretched, then took a detailed look in the rearview mirror.
Calmund counters moderator König
“But I want to tell you one more thing: when we were in the final of the Champions League, we beat Barcelona, Juventus Turin, we expelled Arsenal, Liverpool, ManU, unfortunately we lost in the final against Real. And you know what? You and your broadcaster RTL got the highest ratings for this match in little Leverkusen, even more than before. Bayern Munich-Calmund burst out.
“We're already going too far,” König joked, and their shared laughter revealed that neither of them were taking it too seriously. That's why, even before the first commercial break and Calmund's numerous anecdotes, König said enthusiastically: “It's so nice that you're here, Calli. I am happy.”
By Béla Csányi (bc)