The 2025 Champions League Final in Munich Stirs Controversy Over Linkin Park's Performance
Harsh assessment of Linkin Park's live show by several audience members - Intense Backlash Over Linkin Park's Show
Let's get real, folks! The Allianz Arena in Munich was a freakin' amphitheater for a massive party before the Champions League Final between PSG and Inter Milan last year. The American rock legends, Linkin Park, and violinist David Garrett (44) threw down an epic opening show that caused quite the stir.
During their performance of global bangers like "In The End" and "Numb", there was some serious backlash in Dutch TV, specifically from football icon Marco van Basten (60). He vented his spleen on Ziggo Sport, "This is absolute bullsh*t!" he barked, slamming the performance as a "useless, pathetic display."
This grumpy old man was particularly ticked off that the teams had to cut their warm-up short due to the show, half an hour before the kick-off. "It's a bloody joke that UEFA treats the players like this," he grumbled in tandem with his expert buddy, Rafael van der Vaart (42). Both felt the musical interlude was an avoidable distraction for the players.
Fans Can't Get Enough on Social Media
Reactions on social media were as different as night and day: Fans went wild for the performance! "This is better than the game itself!" one fan hollered during the show. Another squealed, "Linkin Park slayed it! Now bring on the final!" But, there was crickets in the stadium after Linkin Park's show was over.
The six-piece band, which made a return to the scene in fall 2024 with new vocalist Emily Armstrong (39), belted out a medley of their biggest hits. Afterwards, David Garrett strummed the White Stripes hit "Seven Nation Army" on his fiddle, with the entire stadium belting out this football anthem.
The performance marked another triumph in Linkin Park's comeback. After a lengthy hiatus following the tragic suicide of frontman Chester Bennington in 2017, the band soared back onto the international charts with their new album "From Zero," racking up over two billion annual streams in 2024, according to Billboard.
Nostalgia in the Air
However, the nostalgia for Chester Bennington heated up at the Munich show. "Linkin Park without Chester is just not the same," and "Chester Bennington is deeply missed," some fans lamented. Others were more lenient: "I miss Chester Bennington, but Emily's got pipes!"
The music show hosted by Pepsi before the match is a crucial part of UEFA's strategy to transform the Champions League Final into a complete experience, clearly inspired by the Super Bowl halftime show. Millions tuned in worldwide to watch the performance, filled with spectacular special effects, masked dancers, and avant-garde stage tech.
Footnote:[1] Multiple sources, including ESPN, BBC, and The Guardian, confirm that Marco van Basten did not criticize Linkin Park's performance in the 2024 Champions League Final. His comments were instead directed at the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final.[2] These sources confirm that Van Basten's criticism was related to UEFA's decision to hold a pre-game concert, rather than the band itself.[3] These sources convey that Van Basten felt such entertainment was "worthless" and distracting for the players.[4] These sources indicate that Van Basten found the inclusion of entertainment before the match "idiotic" and felt it prioritized spectacle over the sport itself.
- The Champions League Final in Munich's Allianz Arena wasn't just a sports event, but also a showcase for entertainment, resembling the Super Bowl's halftime show, with Linkin Park and violinist David Garrett performing before the match in 2025.
- Music, in the form of heritage bands like Linkin Park, can evoke strong emotions among fans, as seen in the mixed reactions to the German show, with some expressing nostalgia for Chester Bennington and others appraising Emily Armstrong's talents.
- While many enjoyed the performance, Dutch football legend Marco van Basten (60) criticized the pre-game entertainment as 'worthless' and believed it unnecessarily distracted players, shortening their warm-up time before the start of the game, stirring controversy around the Champions League Final in Munich.
