BAYERN MUNICH winger Kingsley Coman is facing a €50,000 fine and a compulsory autograph session as punishment for driving the wrong car to training, German daily Bild reported on Friday.
French international Coman, 23, arrived at Bayern’s Tuesday training session in a McLaren, contravening a contractual obligation to drive an Audi, a key Bayern sponsor.
According to Bild, Bayern’s internal rules state that players must drive cars made by Audi or other brands in the Volkswagen group, or else face a fine of up to €50,000.
Speaking to the tabloid on Friday, Coman apologised for the mishap and insisted that he was unable to drive his Audi due to a damaged wing mirror.
“I would like to apologise to the club and Audi for not driving my company car to training… it was a mistake, I see that,” he told Bild.
The Frenchman added that to make up for it, he would visit employees at the Audi factory in nearby Ingolstadt for an autograph session as soon as coronavirus restrictions had been lifted.
Audi own 8.33% of Bayern shares and recently signed a new sponsorship deal with the club until 2029, reportedly worth around €800 million.
German football is currently suspended due to the coronavirus, but Bayern and other Bundesliga clubs resumed training in small groups and under strict social distancing rules earlier this month.
First World problems
Must attend an autograph session? Jesus times are bad.
Sums up all that is wrong with soccer.Look at the amount of clubs pushing season tickets for next season plus jersey launches coming up in May/June.No wonder most people go for the dodgy box and the jerseys from China
Don’t you just hate it when you mix the Audi up with the McLaren, oh the kerfuffle it causes!
I will take the Mclaren off him if he will pay the insurance.
Sweet Jaysus that’s mad Ted
Ridiculous…hope they donate the 50G to Fight against Corona…
You read and hear so much about how great the way clubs are run and the model in Germany, yet here we are, guys getting fined for not driving the right car, being forced into a public apology that no one other than bayern and Audi care about and coud have been done privately.
@Seamus Cummins: contracts are contracts.
In fairness he should have had a spare.
@Kieran: love the excuse,so PC,damaged wing mirror,not that the fucxxxxg thing wouldn’t start…