‘You are not alone, Nepal’: UEFA Champions League pays tribute to flood victims
European football’s elite competition will observe a moment of silence and display solidarity banners across all 18 opening-week matches following the late-August disaster in central Nepal. Players of Real Madrid and Inter Milan observe a moment of silence in solidarity with Nepal flood victims before their Champions League match at Santiago Bernabéu early Wednesday Nepali time. Courtesy of Real Madrid/Facebook
The new UEFA Champions League season kicked off on Tuesday with teams observing a moment of silence in solidarity with the victims of Nepal’s devastating flash floods.
Ahead of the opening six fixtures, teams stood together behind banners reading “You are not alone Nepal”—marking the start of a week-long tribute that will precede all 18 matches across Europe’s premier club competition.
Hundreds have been confirmed dead in the devastating floods along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins in central Nepal on August 26. Thousands more are still missing.
Sports bodies and clubs across the world had shown solidarity with Nepal after the disaster. The Union of European Football Associations, meanwhile, decided to let the world know of Nepal’s situation through the games.
On Monday, the UEFA had declared that European football will pay tribute to the victims of the devastating flash floods that struck Nepal on August 26.
“A moment of silence will be held, and a banner will be displayed as a sign of solidarity and support ahead of all UEFA Champions League matches this week,” the UEFA stated. “The banner will carry the message ‘You are not alone Nepal’.”
As a result, six of the 18 fixtures of the first gameweek—Club Brugge vs Aston Villa, AEK Athens vs Linzer ASK, Porto vs Manchester City, Real Madrid vs Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal and Lille OSC vs Real Betis—saw players and the stadiums packed with thousands of fans standing in solidarity with Nepal.
“The entire European football family will stand together before this week’s matches to express our deepest condolences and our support to the people of Nepal,” UEFA quoted its president Aleksander Čeferin as saying. “We wish them strength and resilience as they continue to recover from this tragedy and its aftermath.”
A similar moment of silence will also be marked on Wednesday night when Barcelona host Feyenoord at Camp Nou and VfB Stuttgart host Viking at MHPArena.
Early Thursday, Napoli are hosting Arsenal at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Liverpool are playing Atlético Madrid at Anfield, defending champion PSG will begin their campaign against Slovan Bratislava at Parc des Princes and Sporting will host Galatasaray at Estádio José Alvalade.
Similarly, a moment of silence will also be held when Fenerbahçe host Roma and PSV host Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday night.
The first gameweek concludes early Friday with Bayern playing Bodø/Glimt, Slavia Praha hosting Lens and Como facing RB Leipzig. Similarly, Manchester United will play Sabah at Old Trafford, which will mark the three-time champion’s return to the Champions League after two seasons.
The Arsenal Foundation said it is working with its charity partner, Save the Children, on a dedicated fundraising initiative to support communities affected by the disaster.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected,” the club said in a statement, “particularly the families who have lost loved ones, those still awaiting news of missing relatives, and the emergency teams supporting communities through an incredibly difficult period.”
Nayak Paudel covers sports for The Kathmandu Post. He previously worked at the Post (2018–19) and spent over five years at The Rising Nepal. His reporting spans crime, health, education, and social issues.
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