Nurnberg star Niklas-Wilson Sommer was physically attacked at his home after sparking outrage among fans by posting a photo of himself wearing a Bayern Munich jersey on social media.
This was a big deal to Nurnberg fans because the youngster wore a shirt belonging to Bayern Munich who are seen as their arch-rivals.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old, who transferred to Nurnberg in 2023, is known for his stylish social media presence and has a large following of over 1 million fans on Instagram.
Sommer often shares photos related to football, including wearing jerseys from various clubs.
However, photo of Sommer in a Bayern Munich shirt seemed to have crossed a line for Nurnberg supporters, initially leading to a verbal attack on him.
At their home game against Magdeburg on Saturday, August 31, Nurnberg fans expressed their displeasure with critical banners displayed throughout the stadium.
One banner said: “Club pride instead of hipster posing. Niklas Wilson, you’re sh*t, like FCB,” while another read: “Wilson, piss off, you Bayern pig.”
However, the story did not stop at verbal harassment as Willy Sommer was also physically assaulted at his residence over the photo of him wearing a Bayern Munich jersey.
Niklas-Wilson Sommer shared a video clip on his social media account showing the shocking facial injuries he suffered after allegedly being attacked by his club supporters.
Nurnberg condemned attack on Niklas-Wilson Sommer
Nurnberg have condemned the assault in a statement on their official website, denouncing the incident as “completely against the principles of FCN.”
The club wrote: “During the night from Saturday to Sunday, there was a physical attack on one of our U23 players.”
“By lying in wait on the doorstep in the early evening and then physically attacking him a few hours later in the night, these people crossed all boundaries.”
“The act is apparently a reaction to the player appearing in a Bayern jersey on social media three days earlier. The photo was deleted shortly after publication and the player also publicly apologised.”
Nurnberg FC have vowed to cooperate with the police investigation and take appropriate action if convictions are made.
Nurnberg, who are currently positioned 13th in the league standings following a disappointing 4-0 loss to Magdeburg added: “The club will never accept players being physically attacked. That is exactly what happened last night through the actions of individuals.”
“The club condemns this behaviour in the strongest possible terms. It is absolutely incompatible with the values of FCN.”
“The police investigation into the incident began last night. If there are any convictions in this connection, the club will of course react accordingly.”
Who is Wilson Sommer?
Niklas-Wilson Sommer is a German professional footballer who plays as a right-back for 1. FC Nürnberg II.
The 26-year-old promising young German footballer started his career with Sonnenhof Großaspach in the 3. Liga in 2019 before joining FC Nurnberg II.
Indeed, this incident has confirmed that the sight of a photo featuring a player in a rival team’s jersey has the potential to cause offense among certain fans.
However, fans should remember that sports rivalries are all fun and should never resort to aggression or violence towards others. What’s your opinion on this? Please, share your thoughts with us via the comments box below:
