Drama about Bayern’s friend Ismail Saibari: The sad story behind the number 34

There is a moving story behind the shirt number of Munich newcomer Ismael Saibari. The international soccer player from Morocco, who was signed by PSV Eindhoven for around 50 million euros, wears the number 34 as a homage to his friend Abdelhak Nouri.

The Dutch midfielder with Moroccan roots was once a professional at Ajax Amsterdam – with the number 34 on his back. In the summer of 2017, aged just 20, he suffered a cardiac arrest during a friendly match, which left him with permanent brain damage.

Saibari: “It just hurts me.”

“What happened to Abdelhak just hurts me,” said Saibari in FC Bayern’s member magazine “51”. “The connection to Abdelhak’s family came through my advisor. He works with Abdelhak’s brother. The relationship has become more intense day by day, including between the families. We even go on vacation together. When I meet Abdelhak, we always have a lot of fun.”

Saibari also told his friend about the move to FC Bayern. He clearly saw how happy Nouri was for him. “I also let him decide which shirt number I would wear at Bayern. He chose 34, so I took it,” said Saibari, who also recently had that number in Eindhoven.

By Editor

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