MUNICH — They came early, as they always do. They pressed up against the fences. They waited. Open practice sessions at Bayern Munich’s training center here are part of the fabric of the club, and the fans ringed the field again on Wednesday morning, some idling for more than an hour (and enduring a soaking by a particularly aggressive sprinkler) in anticipation of seeing their stars.
When the players emerged, right around 11 a.m., the reception was quiet. Some clapping. Some cheers. Some hard stares that were maybe even closer to glares. The players moved quickly to their stretching area and began to limber up.