Munich Air Disaster ahead of Bayern match
By Sportsmail Reporter
Manchester City are to lay a wreath commemorating the Munich Air Disaster when they visit the city to take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.
23 people died after a plane, carrying the Manchester United team, club officials and journalists back from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade, crashed at the Munich-Reim airport on February 6, 1958.
Former City goalkeeper Frank Swift, covering the game for the News of the World, was among those who lost their lives and the club are keen to pay their respects for 'Manchester's loss', according to the Telegraph.
A delegation from the club is due to lay a wreath at a memorial stone in Munich's Manchesterplatz that marks the tragic crash.
The rivalry between the Manchester clubs has grown in recent years since the arrival at Eastlands of Sheik Mansour and City's subsequent rise to the Champions League elite.
And, at Ewood Park in the week after last season's FA Cup semi-final - which Roberto Mancini's men won 1-0 - City fans were heard chanting 'Who put the ball in the Munichs' net,' to Yaya Toure, the scorer of the winning goal at Wembley.
The ugly spectre of sick terrace chants again raised its head again when Leeds and United supporters exchanged vile songs before and during last Tuesday's clash between the clubs at Elland Road.
And the son of the late Sir Matt Busby - manager of the United team on the day of the crash and who almost lost his life in the disaster - last week expressed his disgust and sadness after video footage of a four-year-old boy singing what has become known as the 'Munich Song' or the 'Runway Song' appeared on YouTube.
Following the chants at Blackburn, City attempted to stamp out the offensive singing with Mancini and club legend Colin Bell appealing to fans to stop.
And City's move in Munich should go some way to improving relations between the clubs, who are due to meet at Old Trafford on 23 October.
It is hoped that there can be a return to the atmosphere seen at Old Trafford in February 2008, when United held a minute's silence ahead of their derby clash to mark the 50th anniversary of the crash. City's fans were praised for their conduct during the ceremony that day.
